ACF calls for urgent audit of local governments to unmask hidden corruption

• The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called for an immediate and comprehensive audit of local government personnel across Nigeria
• Professor Tukur Baba, spokesperson for the ACF, revealed that investigations have found instances of children being registered as local government workers
• Tukur emphasized that while state governors enjoy constitutional immunity, local government chairmen do not and must be held accountable for fund mismanagement

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called for an immediate and comprehensive audit of local government personnel across Nigeria.

The ACF, through its spokesperson, Professor Tukur Baba, made the call during a telephone interview with Legit.ng, on Saturday, July 27, in Abuja.

ACF speaks on LG autonomy Photo credit: @Arewacf
Source: Twitter

Tukur disclosed that a recent investigation revealed that some Local government secretariates have 'children' registered as staff, adding that this was yet another channel for mismanaging the LG allocation.

Tukur said that the demand aligns with the recent statements made by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) regarding prosecuting local government chairmen for fund mismanagement.

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He said:

"We have seen situations where children were registered as local government workers. What needs to be done is for the government to carry out a systematic audit of all the LG personnel under the supervision of DSS and others. "We should draw a line and say nobody should be allowed to mismanage the funds."

ACF: LG Chairmen not immune from prosecution

While lauding President Tinubu's administration for ensuring LG autonomy, Tukur noted that although state governors enjoy certain immunities, LG does not and must be accountable.

He said:

"Governors are protected with an immunity clause in the constitution, and there isn’t much you can do about that. "But of course, like the Attorney General said, and I agree with him, local government chairmen do not have immunity from prosecution for mismanaging public funds and any act of impunity or something criminal or against the law."

FG urged to ensure state gov don't meddle with LG funds

Tukur also called on the federal government to monitor LG funds closely to ensure that state governors do not partner with LG chairs to mismanage funds.

He said:

"We should be alert to know that the local government does not collaborate with the state government to create innovative ways to steal and siphon government resources. This is the only way we can ensure that development begins at the grassroots."

LG autonomy will drive grassroots development

Speaking on the importance of LG autonomy, Baba noted that it would drive holistic grassroots development.

"The step by the Tinubu administration is an opportunity and a potential to bring needed development at the local level."

FG vows 'jail term' for corrupt LG Chairmen

In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the federal government warned that Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen misusing Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds could face imprisonment.

The attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), made this statement during the 17th-anniversary lecture of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, July 25.

Source: Legit.ng