“You Are Not Allowed to Sign Chequebooks” – Wike Warns FCT Area Council Chairmen

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike has cautioned the newly-inaugurated six Area Council Chairmen against signing chequebooks.

Speaking on Monday night during the inauguration of the chairmen elected in February, Wike said their role is to approve. “There are designated civil servants who are signatories to the accounts of area councils.

The Minister was reported to have warned that any council chairman who goes against the directive will be reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Wike promised not to tamper with statutory allocations for the councils and warned of a full probe of financial flows.

“Some of you here are running accounts. No executive chairman can sign cheques. You approve your role. “That is why we have civil servants who are signatories to the accounts of area councils. A chairman should not get himself into trouble by signing cheques for withdrawals. You aren’t authorized.

This is not the time to say to your treasurer or your head of local government, ‘Meet me in a hotel,’ or ‘How much do we have? ‘Take this out, keep this for me, I’m travelling tomorrow.’ It will not happen anymore. Hear it now, if I know, I will call EFCC, I will call ICPC to look into your matter,” declared the FCT Minister.

Wike also cautioned the new chairmen against living outside their local domains, saying they are expected to live amongst the people and not run to the city.

The minister said elected chairmen have constitutional powers to develop their local communities and to make sure that the impact of governance is felt at the grassroots.

“Stay in your place of election and do your work. Do not tell your people, ‘come and see me in the city’. You weren’t elected in the city. Stay at home so that your people may bring their problems to you. Stay at home so you will know where kidnappers and bandits are operating from. If you are not home you will not know from where the problems come. “You are to stay at home and give information to security agencies, the FCT Minister and the FCTA,” Wike said.

He said the area council administration would “no longer be business as usual” adding that the elected officials have an obligation to work for their people.

“Your people listened to you and they all came out to vote for you. You have a covenant with the people, remember? The people have done their civic duty. You owe them a duty to let them feel the impact of governance. It is not about traditional clothes. It is time to work for your people,” he said.