Buhari slams governors for pocketing LG funds

President Muhammadu Buhari has flayed the tendency of some governors to encourage corruption at the local government, saying there are inhibiting development at the grassroots.

Buhari said this at a parley with members of the Senior Executive Course of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPS) in Abuja on Thursday.

The President, who narrated his personal experience on stemming the tide of corruption in the local government system after the presentation of the report of NIPS, said: “I found it necessary to digress after reading my speech and this digression is as a result of my personal experience.

“What they did, this is my personal experience, if the money from the federal account to the state is about N100 million, N50 million will be sent to the chairman but he will sign that he received N100 million. The governor will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to share it with.

“And then the chairman of the local government must see how much he must pay in salaries and to hell with development. When he pays the salaries of the bigman, the balance he will put in his pocket.

“This is what’s happening. This is Nigeria. It’s a terrible thing; you cannot say the person who was doing this is not educated.”

President Buhari urged public office holders to be guided by their conscience and personal integrity wherever they find themselves.

He pledged that the recommendations contained in the presentation of SEC 44 would be painstakingly studied by the government with the view to implementing its recommendations.

While declaring that his administration has done so much in building trust between the government and the people, Buhari noted that the report would largely assist in the provision of good governance to the people at the grassroots levels and by extension win back their trust in government.

“It is obvious that government cannot afford to pay lip-service to the recommendations contained in this report.

“I assure you that the report will be treated with the seriousness and urgency it deserves. Government will study the report with the view to implementing the carefully detailed recommendations,” President Buhari said.

He commended the quality of the report, the commitment, and the dedication that went into it, saying: ”The National Institute can always be trusted to deliver on very critical and sensitive assignments of national importance.”

Buhari, however, expressed delight that the Institute has been exceptional in handling several assignments.

He added that he was convinced that they are all now well equipped for the strategic tasks, increased responsibilities, and positions of authority of trust.

“I challenge you to go back to your various establishments, units, posts, beats, departments, directorates, ministries, parastatals, commissions, commands, agencies to revitalise, reinvigorate, reform and rejig your various platforms and spheres of influence, responsibility and leadership,” President Buhari stated.

Buhari promised to look into some of the challenges facing the Institute, adding that no government establishment exists without challenges.

He stated that his administration was poised to complete the review and passage of the NIPSS establishment act and condition of service before handover in May 2023.

The President further directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Office of the Head of Service of the Federation to take all necessary steps to its actualisation.

In his remarks, the NIPS Director-General, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, said the Course participants undertook study tours of 14 States of the Federation, six African countries and six countries outside Africa.

“This enabled them to have both local and international perspectives on local governance, how to overcome challenges in achieving it, identify the available opportunities to strengthen it and develop workable options to be considered by government in strengthening local governance,” Omotayo said.

The Star

Segun Ojo