You go to jail alone if you steal public funds – AGF to LG Chairmen

Following the direct payment of funds to the Local Government Councils, Chairmen of the 774 LGAs in the country have been warned to make judicious use of monies allocated to them because they and not the governors of their respective states would be held accountable.

Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, sounded the warning on Friday in Abuja while declaring open a one-day Validation Meeting of the Reviewed National Anti-corruption Strategy (NACS) 2022-2026 Action Plan.

It will be recalled that the federal government had dragged the 36 states of the federation to the Supreme Court over alleged retention, conversion and misuse of funds allocated to the LGs because the funds were usually paid into a joint account belonging to the states and LGs.

Based on the submissions of the federal government and attached evidence, the Apex Court in its judgement ordered the Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, to henceforth disburse funds accruable to them directly.

Assuring that the move by the federal government to ensure funds are available for grassroots development henceforth, the minister observed that it would be very easy to handle the LGs because the chairmen unlike the governors don’t have immunity, adding that.

“it is very easy to put them where they belong”, he said, “when the need arises”.

Besides, he warned, “If a governor asks you to commit a crime, he will not follow you to Kuje prison.

Fagbemi, therefore urged anti-corruption agencies participating in the meeting to pick up the challenge and not to hesitate in arresting and prosecuting LG chairmen who divert the funds meant for their council to other ventures.

While commending the efforts put in by the stakeholders involved in the review of the NACS Action Plan, the minister thanked the donor partners; International (DEA)/ROLaC who have been part of the process from inception to date.

“Indeed your unwavering commitment, dedication and the financial support needed to midwife the successful implementation of the NACS Action Plan 2017 – 2021 and the review of the NACS Action Plan 2022- 2026 is highly appreciated.

“I therefore, request all participants to give your full attention to the overview of the draft NACS Action Plan, find the portion of the objectives and strategies relevant to your organization and resolve to fully implement the Action Plan to the best of your abilities”, he said.

Earlier, the Head of the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-corruption Reforms (TUGAR, Secretariat of the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT), Mrs Jane Onwumere, described the meeting as a very important event as it seeks to give life to the strategy document aimed at curbing corruption to the barest minimum for effective and efficient service delivery.

Onwumere stated that the National anticorruption strategy is a self-assessment checklist of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) that Nigeria joined in 2009.

“Notwithstanding the challenges, some progress was recorded evidenced in the passage of critical legislation such as the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, The Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 among others.

“It is our expectation that the validation of the Action Plan and the establishment of the relevant implementation structures will ensure the full implementation of the Strategy”‘, she added.