The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has called for stronger measures to strengthen accountability and transparency in local government administrations in Kaduna.
Sakaba Ishaku, the resident commissioner of the ICPC, said this on Wednesday at a two-day capacity-building workshop in Kaduna, organised by the Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, in collaboration with the ICPC and Al Nameer Ideal Concept Limited.
Mr Ishaku said that corruption in Nigeria was endemic and deeply entrenched across governance and society due to weak institutions and a lack of accountability.
He added that corruption diverts public resources, fuels poverty, triggers conflicts and hinders national economic development at all levels. He equally said that corruption affected public administration, law enforcement and the judiciary, ranging from petty offences to grand corruption involving huge financial losses.
Mr Ishaku said that massive wealth was rarely acquired without criminal elements and urged scrutiny of even inherited wealth to understand its origins.
He said that not everyone wanted to hear about fighting corruption because such efforts benefited a few people at the expense of the wider society. He described the engagement as a landmark event that would transform approaches to local government administration in Kaduna.
Mr Ishaku said that everyone desired a good life, but it could not be achieved without sacrifice, commitment and hard work in public service. He added that if laws were strictly applied, many people who were openly moving around would be in custody for their unlawful actions.
The resident commissioner said punishments for corruption must be commensurate with offences, noting that light sentences for large thefts weaken deterrence. He said it was disheartening when council chairmen complete their terms without pointing to any legacy projects that benefit their communities.
He directed that all major capital disbursements to local governments must be tied to specific projects to allow proper monitoring and evaluation. He said the ICPC project tracking initiative has successfully compelled contractors to return to abandoned projects and complete stalled works.
Mr Ishaku recalled that under the leadership of Musa Aliyu, the commission launched the Anti-Corruption Prevention Programme for the 774 local governments across Nigeria. He urged that the project tracking model be replicated in Kaduna State to improve transparency and project delivery.
Mr Ishaku said the programme would help check impunity in councils and urged participants to support its full implementation in Kaduna. He added that the engagement reflects the resolve to promote accountability and transparency by taking the anti-corruption fight to the grassroots.
He stated that the goal was to ensure public resources translate into visible development and national economic transformation.
Mr Ishaku said the commission remains ready to sustain synergy with stakeholders to curb corruption in Kaduna. He called for a review of existing laws to strengthen penalties and close gaps that allow corruption to thrive.
(NAN)
