Public office is not an avenue to become wealthy overnight — Nwifuru tells LG chairmen

Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has warned newly inaugurated local government officials against using public office for personal enrichment.

Nwifuru said government officials must handle public resources lawfully, transparently and in the interests of the people they were elected or appointed to serve.

The governor spoke in Abakaliki during the opening of a three-day capacity-building workshop organised by the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.

Participants included local government chairmen, vice chairmen, treasurers, Heads of Personnel Management, planning officials and development centre coordinators.

Nwifuru told the officials that decisions taken while in office would ultimately determine the legacies they leave behind.

He urged them not to allow political or other pressures to push them into actions that could damage their reputations or violate financial regulations.

The governor also encouraged council officials to continually assess their performance and put the collective interests of their communities ahead of personal gain.

Ebonyi Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Uchenna Igwe also urged the officials to maintain administrative systems free from corruption and make accountability a routine part of local governance