Posted by By Sunday Aborisade on
The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, raised the alarm.....
The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, raised the alarm on Thursday that local government chairmen were misappropriating public funds.
The ICPC boss stated this in Lagos while delivering an inaugural lecture on ‘Unlocking sustainable economic and social development through efficient campaign against corruption,' organised by the Cathedral Church of Christ in Marina.
Ayoola explained that the ICPC received hundreds of petitions daily from across the country about the sharp practices of the council bosses.
He said the commission, in the course of its investigations, discovered that most of them usually withdraw all their funds from the statutory allocation at the banks latest on the second day of payment.
According to him, 'Most of these chairmen usually go the banks on the second day of payment and withdrew all their funds.
'Some of them even over withdraw amount allocated to them which runs into millions of naira."
He pledged that names and exact amount misappropriated by the council bosses would be published as soon as the commission established a case against them.
He said any council boss found guilty risked jail as the abuse of power and public funds under the ICPC Act, was a criminal act punishable by at least seven years imprisonment.
He said none of the governor's was currently being investigated and urged members of the pubic to assist the commission by reporting any act of misgovernance against them.
Ayoola advocated a people oriented anti-corruption campaign to sustain the war against corruption at the end of the present administration.
He explained that the commission would enter into partnership with religious organisations and schools to ensure the success of the war against corruption..
The event was witnessed by a former Vice-Chancellor of University of Benin, Prof. Grace Alele-Williams; a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Ola Vincent; Provost of the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina, The Very Rev. Yinka Omololu, among others.