The Ebonyi State Government has warned newly-inaugurated public office holders across the state against corruption, abuse of office and mismanagement of public resources, declaring that the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru would not tolerate practices capable of undermining its accountability and good-governance agenda.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Stephen Uchenna Igwe, gave the warning on Wednesday in Abakaliki while flagging off a three-day workshop on the operation of anti-graft laws for newly-inaugurated public office holders at Remeritaona Hotel.
Igwe said the workshop, which brought together the new public office holders and resource persons from various anti-graft agencies, was part of the state government's sustained efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and compliance with extant laws in the management of public resources.
According to him, the initiative was consistent with Nwifuru's administration's avowed zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and its commitment to ensuring that public resources are deployed for the benefit of the people.
He said, “There is no room for corruption in the administration of my principal, Builder Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.”
The commissioner said the anti-corruption drive was particularly significant because the government regarded probity and accountability as fundamental principles of good governance.
He explained that the commitment to accountability extended from budget formulation to implementation, stressing that public office holders were expected to exercise their responsibilities within the confines of the law and in the overall interest of the people.
Igwe further said the state's development efforts, including road construction, postgraduate scholarship programmes, healthcare interventions and investments in specialised universities, underscored the importance of prudent management of public funds.
He said Ebonyi had, despite its relatively low-income profile, continued to undertake major infrastructure and human-capital development initiatives, including the construction of a road network cumulatively spanning about 500 kilometres, fully funded local and overseas postgraduate scholarships, and the development of specialised institutions such as the Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science and Technology, Agbaja, and the Ebonyi State University of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering, Onueke.
The commissioner said the local government system had also aligned with the administration's accountability agenda through regular anti-corruption and accountability workshops for elected public officers and management staff of local governments and development centres.
He disclosed that the ministry had institutionalised periodic accountability tours of council areas and development centres to ascertain whether public resources were being utilised for their intended purposes.
“Before long, another round of the accountability tour of council areas and Development Centres will commence,” he said.
Igwe urged the newly-inaugurated officials to take the training seriously and acquaint themselves with the legal and institutional frameworks governing the management of public funds and the discharge of their official responsibilities.
He said the workshop offered the participants an opportunity to deepen their understanding of anti-graft laws and strengthen their capacity to promote transparent and responsible administration at the grassroots.
The commissioner charged the participants to make the most of the three-day engagement, warning that ignorance of the law would not excuse any breach of public trust.
He said: “I charge every participant to make the most out of this workshop, even as I reiterate that there is no room for corruption in the administration of my principal, Builder Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.”
He expressed optimism that the deliberations would strengthen institutional accountability and contribute to more effective service delivery across the state's local government areas and development centres.
The workshop is expected to provide the newly-inaugurated public office holders with practical knowledge of anti-corruption legislation, ethical standards, financial accountability and other statutory obligations associated with public office.
