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- ICPC Investigates Lagos, Ogun Councils’ Accts
ICPC Investigates Lagos, Ogun Councils’ Accts
- By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
- Published September 20th, 2009
- Economic Crime
- Unrated
RETIRED Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has ordered the Lagos State office of the commission to carry out an investigation of revenue allocation from the Federation Accounts to Local Government Councils and the financial expenditures of these Councils in Lagos and Ogun States for the year 2008.
According to Mr Akeem Lawal, Head of the Lagos State office, the order of the Chairman is in line with the provisions of Section 6 of the ICPC Act 2000. The Act mandates the ICPC to examine the practices, systems and procedures of the public bodies and where in the opinion of the commission, such practices, systems or procedures aid or facilitate fraud or corruption, to direct and supervise a review of them.
The exercise is to be carried out in local government councils of Lagos and Ogun States, which were not involved in the last exercise conducted in these States.
Mr John Odey, a Senior Information Officer of the Commission at its Lagos office posited that the exercise is not designed to witch-hunt anybody or group, rather it is an exercise that is intended to enthrone probity and accountability, a preventive mechanism that will nip the incidence of corruption in the bud and create positive development at the grass-roots.
The investigation, which has already started with the ICPC’s team of accountants and other financial investigators, has specific terms of reference for the review of 2008 Federation Accounts Allocation to the local governments.
The Commission is mandated to examine all capital projects and accounting records of the local government councils for the 2008 fiscal year with a view to determining whether proper accounting records are kept.
Furthermore, to obtain and review the 2008 fiscal year action plans of the local government councils in order to ascertain the extent of execution of the plan at the end of the year and review the workability of internal control system of the councils with a view to determining corruption prone areas.
The Lagos State office of the commission is also directed to examine and review expenditure patterns in the local government councils and review 2008 abandoned projects, determine reasons for abandonment and determine the beneficiaries of the funds for the projects.
According to Mr Akeem Lawal, Head of the Lagos State office, the order of the Chairman is in line with the provisions of Section 6 of the ICPC Act 2000. The Act mandates the ICPC to examine the practices, systems and procedures of the public bodies and where in the opinion of the commission, such practices, systems or procedures aid or facilitate fraud or corruption, to direct and supervise a review of them.
The exercise is to be carried out in local government councils of Lagos and Ogun States, which were not involved in the last exercise conducted in these States.
Mr John Odey, a Senior Information Officer of the Commission at its Lagos office posited that the exercise is not designed to witch-hunt anybody or group, rather it is an exercise that is intended to enthrone probity and accountability, a preventive mechanism that will nip the incidence of corruption in the bud and create positive development at the grass-roots.
The investigation, which has already started with the ICPC’s team of accountants and other financial investigators, has specific terms of reference for the review of 2008 Federation Accounts Allocation to the local governments.
The Commission is mandated to examine all capital projects and accounting records of the local government councils for the 2008 fiscal year with a view to determining whether proper accounting records are kept.
Furthermore, to obtain and review the 2008 fiscal year action plans of the local government councils in order to ascertain the extent of execution of the plan at the end of the year and review the workability of internal control system of the councils with a view to determining corruption prone areas.
The Lagos State office of the commission is also directed to examine and review expenditure patterns in the local government councils and review 2008 abandoned projects, determine reasons for abandonment and determine the beneficiaries of the funds for the projects.
