Autonomy: ICPC to investigate Osun LGs budget, project execution

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has announced its commitment to closely monitor the expenditure of local governments after the Supreme Court granted them financial autonomy.

During a townhall meeting organized by Insight Initiative for Community and Social Development, titled “Osun Open LG Project,” on Monday, Hassan Mohammed, the ICPC resident commissioner for Osun State, emphasized the commission’s role in ensuring transparency.

Mohammed stated that the ICPC would actively engage with residents of Osun State to encourage them to demand accountability and transparency in local government operations.

His words, “ICPC will ensure that we remove the opacity around the budget process within the local government and the administration of local government. We will monitor the expenditure of LG more strenuously.

“The commission is creating a structured platform purposely to focus on the monitoring of local government finances going forward resulting from the Supreme Court judgement.”

Also the lawmaker representing Obokun state constituency at the Osun House of Assembly, Adewumi Adeyemi assured that the assembly will continue to perform its oversight function in line with section 7 to ensure probity at the local government administration.

Earlier, the convener of the initiative, Jare Tiamiyu explained that the programme is to bring stakeholders together in ensuring that they are involved in LG administration.

He lamented that majority of the residents of Osun State do not have knowledge about LG budget, hence the initiative is aimed at equipping them with adequate knowledge about finances of their respective councils.