ICPC Recovers N5.3 Billion in Local Government Funds

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recovered over N5.3 billion from local government accounts across seven states and the Federal Capital Territory. This recovery was announced by the ICPC chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, during the launch of the ICPC-NITDA Local Government Websites Pilot in Nasarawa State.

The initiative aims to promote transparency and accountability at the grassroots level by mandating all 774 local government areas to publish their financial records online. The Supreme Court's July 2024 ruling affirming the financial autonomy of local councils has heightened the need for accountability in public fund management.

The websites will require councils to disclose budgets, allocations, revenue, expenditures, and more, enabling citizens and oversight bodies to monitor finances and identify irregularities. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will provide the necessary technological support, while the ICPC will set content standards.

Aliyu emphasized that this initiative is a partnership for corruption prevention rather than a tool for witch-hunting.