By Samuel Ogidan
Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has identified five channels state governments use to siphon public money for private use.
These are inflation of prices, over-estimation of cost of projects; the ghost worker syndrome, award of contracts and subsequent abandonment and outright payment of huge sums of money to political godfathers by state government officials.
This was contained in a message by the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, to participants of a six-week workshop on “Anti-corruption, Fiscal Responsibility and Good Governance” organised by the commission in collaboration with the House of Representatives Committee on State and Local Government Affairs for state government officials in Nigeria.
Lamorde, who was represented by the Secretary to the commission, Mr Emmanuel Aremu, said: “Investigations by the EFCC shows that there is corruption at a very alarming proportion at the state government level in the country.”
He added: “Where more money is found, the tendency for more corruption is high.
“The combined amount of money which goes to the states every month from the federation account is quite enormous; however, the level of development in the state is not commensurate to the monies received. This is due to the corruption and poor fiscal responsibility.
“Poor service delivery, inadequate infrastructure, poor management of public enterprise, bad governance, moral decadence and general underdevelopment are among the impact of corruption on attempt at development among state governments in the country.
“The problem of corruption and lack of fiscal transparency perhaps remains one of the hydra-headed factors that account for the inefficiency and retarded growth of state governments in Nigeria.”
He noted that in order to ensure adequate funding to all levels of government, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allocates 52.68 per cent of the federally generated revenue to the federal government, 26.72 per cent to state governments and 20.6 per cent to local governments.
The chairman disclosed that the EFCC Act empowers the commission to investigate, prosecute and prevent the commission of economic and financial crimes in the country, noting also that the Act charges the EFCC with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of other laws and regulations relating to economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.
The Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on State and Local Government Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Lawal Nuhu, noted that despite the fact that Nigeria has made strident effort to curb corruption through many legal instruments, decadent corruption still persists in the country.
He said: “It is sad to observe that most of our government institutions and the society at large today are characterised by corruption from every level which has hindered the growth of the country.
“Corruption as a major element or factor has inflicted adversely not only on the economic development of the nation, but also the name and integrity of the country.”