The recent findings by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, exposing the disturbing hoarding of staff entitlements by Development Centre Coordinators, offer a sobering reminder of the deeply entrenched corruption choking Nigeria’s grassroots leadership. That Management Committee members—those entrusted with implementing policies at the very foundation of local governance have been denied their rightful imprests, F&G allowances, and even Christmas bonuses is not just an administrative failure; it is an ethical tragedy.
The local government structure, often hailed as the closest tier of governance to the people, has long been reduced to a feeding trough for a few unscrupulous individuals who betray the very communities they claim to serve. When coordinators, empowered to lead development efforts, become gatekeepers of injustice and deprivation, the entire structure of community growth collapses.
This is why the courage displayed by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly must be commended and emulated across the country. By naming and shaming defaulting coordinators from development centres including Ezzama, Igbeagu, Ekumaenyi, Ohaozara West, Effium, Effium South, Ezza East, Ohaozara East, Oshiri, Ikwo South, and Inyaba, the Assembly has taken a rare but necessary step toward accountability. Yet, naming names is only the beginning. The road to genuine reform must be paved with prosecution, restitution, and structural overhaul.
What message do we send to our communities when public officials are allowed to sit on workers' entitlements with impunity? What hope do we offer to the unemployed youth, the unpaid health workers, the struggling teachers, and the abandoned farmers when local leaders enrich themselves while basic services wither?
Grassroots corruption is particularly insidious because it undermines development at the very point where people should feel the impact of government the most. It breeds apathy, fuels poverty, and deepens the chasm between the government and the governed. It is where national decay begins.
If we are serious about tackling corruption in Nigeria, we must start from the bottom. That means ensuring that those entrusted with local leadership are not only competent but also accountable. It means instituting transparent systems for financial management, regular audits, community reporting mechanisms, and stronger sanctions for mismanagement.
The House Committee’s recommendation that Coordinators live within their Development Centres and build better relationships with stakeholders is a step in the right direction. Leadership must be present and visible rooted in the very soil of the communities they claim to serve. Governance cannot be conducted by absentee officials holed up in urban mansions while rural populations wallow in neglect.
It is high time the people themselves demanded more from their local leaders. The fight against corruption cannot be left to oversight committees alone. Civil society, community leaders, the media, and ordinary citizens must insist on transparency and challenge the culture of silence that shields corrupt officials.
The rot at the grassroots must be cut from the root. Not tomorrow. Not when it is politically convenient. But now because the health of our democracy, the future of our communities, and the dignity of public service depend on it.
