Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has warned newly inaugurated local government chairmen and other council officials against treating public office as an opportunity for personal enrichment, insisting that every expenditure of public funds must be lawful, transparent and accountable.
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Nwifuru gave the warning on Wednesday in Abakaliki while declaring open a three-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Ebonyi State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters for officials at the grassroots level.
The retreat brought together local government chairmen, vice chairmen, Heads of Personnel Management, treasurers, Planning, Research and Statistics officers and development centre coordinators.
Addressing the participants, the governor described public office as a trust that must be exercised for the benefit of the people rather than for private gain.
He urged the officials to carefully consider the consequences of decisions taken while in office, warning that their conduct would ultimately determine the legacy they leave behind.
“You must be mindful of the decisions you take in office because your actions today will determine the legacy you leave behind. Do not allow anybody to mislead you into doing what is wrong. Public office is not an avenue to become wealthy overnight,” Nwifuru said.
He further cautioned the officials against yielding to improper pressure from individuals seeking to influence their handling of government resources.
“Whatever you do with public funds must be lawful, transparent, and accountable. Stand firm, remain resilient in the face of criticism, and keep your primary responsibility focused on serving the people,” he said.
Nwifuru urged the council officials to continually assess their actions and ensure that the collective interest of their communities takes precedence over personal benefit.
According to him, officials who allow themselves to be pressured into actions they know to be improper may eventually have cause to regret such decisions.
He also advised them to conduct themselves in a manner that would protect their integrity and professional reputation even after leaving office.
The governor’s remarks were consistent with the state government’s stated emphasis on service delivery and accountability. The official Ebonyi State Government profile of the administration identifies responsible leadership, service and accountability among its governing priorities.
Speaking at the workshop, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Uchenna Igwe, similarly urged the officials to establish working environments free from corruption.
Igwe said transparency in the administration of local councils should become part of the everyday conduct of public officials rather than something applied only when they are under scrutiny.
He charged participants to internalise proper administrative and financial practices as they carry out their responsibilities across the local government system.
Responding on behalf of council chairmen, the Chairman of the Ebonyi State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Mrs. Helen Aduga, described the workshop as timely and important for improving the operational knowledge of the newly inaugurated officials.
Chairman of the Ebonyi State Coordinators’ Forum, Chidi Ogbonna, also described the training as an important educational initiative capable of strengthening administration and service delivery at the grassroots.
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