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OSPFACC Urges Local Government Officials To Uphold Accountability And Transparency
Adeola Ogunrinde
The Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission (OSPFACC) has called on local government officials to prioritize accountability, probity, transparency, and financial discipline in the management of public funds.
This was emphasized by Professor Adewole Adeyeye, Secretary of the Commission, while presenting a position paper on behalf of the Commission’s Chairman, Rtd. Chief Justice W.O Akintoroye, at a workshop for senior staff of local governments in Akure.
Prof. Adeyeye identified corruption as a major obstacle to development and highlighted several red flags that local government officials should be aware of, including excessive bureaucracy, conflict of interest, non-compliance with extant laws, and procurement process circumvention.
He emphasized the need for local government officials to recognize and acquaint themselves with these corruption red flags in their day-to-day operations.
The Professor noted that local governments receive and expend funds, which puts a burden of accountability on local government officials. He stressed that an average local government official is duty-bound to be accountable to the people through compliance with dictates of enabling regulatory mechanisms.
Adeyeye highlighted the importance of regulatory frameworks in promoting transparency and accountability in local government administration. He cited several laws, including the Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission (2022), Ondo State Revenue Administration Law (2018), and Ondo State Fiscal Responsibility Law (2017), as crucial in ensuring that local governments operate within the bounds of the law.
The workshop, which was organized by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in collaboration with the Local Government Service Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), aims to strengthen grassroots governance through accountability, capacity building, and a culture of transparency.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who declared the workshop open, charged participants to take the lessons from the sessions seriously and apply them in their respective local governments.
The workshop is expected to feature lectures, interactive sessions, and capacity-building engagements led by resource persons from the EFCC and other oversight agencies. It is hoped that the workshop will equip local government officials with the necessary tools and mindset to serve with competence and integrity.
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