There is an assertion that the inability of the local governments in the country to provide quality service delivery is due to high level of corruption prevalent among council officials.
Professor (Mrs.) Ayo Atsenuwa of the Department of Public Law, University of Lagos, Akoka, made the assertion in the paper she presented recently in a training/ interactive seminar held in Lagos by a civil rights organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in collaboration with Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
Speaking on ‘The Role of Local Governments in Promoting Citizens’ Access to Social Services and Social Justice’, Atsenuwa pointed out that the hydra-headed evil of corruption in our country is the bane of good governance in Nigeria today.
The professor noted: “In February 2010, the chairman of Ijebu East local Government Council in Ogun State was suspended from office on account of various financial misdeed. In the same year, Benue State House of Assembly suspended 12 local government council chairmen in the state and directed that they should refund the sum of N150 million misappropriated through financial misdeeds associated with excess crude funds received by local governments in the state.”
Citing more instances of corruption at the local government levels, Atsenuwa disclosed that in Kogi State, the chairmen of Ibaji and Ogori Mangogo local government areas were suspended over what was described as non-performance and misappropriation of resources. It was further alleged that the statutory allocation of N75 million received by Ibaji local government for December 2008 was neither used for payment of salaries nor implementation of any meaningful project. Further, neither the loan of N200 million nor the excess crude fund of N380 million collected or received by Ibaji local government was judiciously used.
According to Atsenuwa,”Corruption robs local governments of the financial strength and ability to provide basic social services that will foster the transformation of communities”.
On staff performance, she noted that Nigeria is characterised by political patronage which has led to bloated workforce in the public sector and the employment of incompetent individuals. In her view, parochial considerations are used to undermine the integrity of the system, leading to poor work culture, staff disillusionment and poor work output on individual basis.
Panacea
The professor of law, however, said the situation can be remedied and a corruption-free society can emerge, especially at the local government levels provided that there is an enhancement of citizens’ capacity to utilise the relevant Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation to monitor transparency and demand accountability of public officials at the local government levels.
“Strengthen citizens’ capacity to seek enforcement of the laws against errant local government officials, and citizens should report consistent failure of the local government to deliver on services to appropriate national institutions such as Ombudsmen, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the office of the auditor-general and the appropriate legislative committees,” she posited.
“Local governments must build capacity of their staff to monitor the provision of quality services by themselves and other providers, free of corruption; citizens must demand that elected officials contest election based on issues with clear statements of commitment of programmes and policy intentions,” she further said.