Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has warned council chairmen against misappropriating or diverting local council resources.

Yusuf vowed to prosecute any local government chairman found wanting over financial irregularities through contracts or projects execution in the council.

He issued the caution on Saturday while unveiling a three-day seminar on financial regulations and anti-corruption systems in local government organised by the State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.

Yusuf, represented by Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Taju Mohammad Lookman, warned the council Chairmen to be mindful of financial regulations and other guidelines and reminded them that council chairmen would be held responsible for corrupt practices in their domain.

Although the governor said the chairmen are legally empowered to award contracts and projects in consonance with the financial autonomy, he declared that the state government has the responsibility to ensure contractors deliver the project as specified.

“It is the responsibility of the local government Chairmen to award contracts and pay contracts for the project awarded. But the interest of the state government is ensuring execution and delivery of the projects, failure to do that will attract the involvement of Anti-Corruption,” he said.

“The state government will not interfere in the running of their affairs because we respect their financial autonomy, but the Chairmen should note that Anti-graft agencies are monitoring their activities, to prevent corruption.

“Government has directed the Anti-Corruption to detect, investigate prosecute, punish and recover stolen fund from the local government chairmen indicted. Government will continue to strengthen the commission to fight corrupt act in government.”

Earlier, the Kano Zonal Director of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Shazali highlighted the economic and social implications of corruption, and urged the council chairmen to uphold integrity and accountability while justifying the confidence bestowed on them.

Shazali, however, reminded them of EFCC’s constitutional role of compelling public officials at all tiers of government to account for their corrupt practices if found wanting.
He reinstated willingness to partner with other anti-graft agencies to purge the state against corruption.

Chairman, Kano State Anti-graft Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado, explained the workshop was organized to reinforce the role of local government in the social and economic development of the country.

Rimin-Gado said the essence of the seminar was put together hinged on getting the council chairmen acquitted with relevant financial regulations that will guide them on how to dispense public funds, and added that ignorance of financial crimes is not tenable.