Life and Peace Development Organisation (LAPDO), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has emphasized the need for transparency and accountability to enhance good governance in Local Governments (LGs) across the country.
Mr. Franklin Oloniju, Executive Director of LAPDO, made this statement during a stakeholders’ workshop held in Akure on Tuesday. The event brought together directors of budget from various LGs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and other key stakeholders.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the workshop featured participation from five Local Government Areas in Ondo State, including Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo, Akure North, Akure South, Ondo West, and Owo.
Oloniju highlighted that the workshop received support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of the British Government. He further explained that the initiative aims to equip LGs with the tools to enhance their procurement processes and improve budget transparency.
Oloniju stressed the importance of implementing effective systems to ensure that public funds are managed and spent responsibly, calling for increased accountability in local governance.
“LGs must be ready to imbibe new ideologies as related to how to do things better. The supreme court ruling has strengthened their power for them to take charge of procurement processes.
“Now that autonomy has been granted to the LG, it behoves on them to ensure that there is transparency and accountability for the betterment of the public in the area.
“Without strong transparency and accountability, there wouldn’t be any development in the LGAs.
“It will be good for the public to say that with what the Federal Government has done in terms of autonomy, improvement has come to LGAs, which has enhanced their development,” he said.
He, therefore, charged LG staff to be ready to accept and ‘run with’ autonomy, and urged them to have the capacity to evaluate their work.
Earlier, Mr Bayo Ilawole, Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Local Government Service Commission, appreciated the organisers of the workshop, and urged LGs to adhere to rules and regulations for development to thrive.
“I believe the surpreme court judgment on LG autonomy will bring transformation and development, because the tier is the closest to the people.
“Moreover, if the LG is functioning well, there will be less attention and dependence on the state, as well as Federal Government,” he said.
Ilawole also called for more employment into the LG due to the need for human capacity management and development for better service delivery.
One of the participants, Mr Jonathan Babatola, Executive Director of Pace Setter for Youth Development initiative, said that transparency and accountability would increase the presence of governance, if adopted by all.
“What we currently have today can not deliver development at the LG levels because the role of the LG has been eroded.
“Now that there is autonomy, there is going to be more pressure on the LG, there is going to be more funds and more funds will definitely call for more responsibility,” he said.
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