Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ekpo Nta, has warned local government officials to be wary of politicians that put pressure on them to commit corruption ` `through corrupt demands”.

Nta gave the warning at the opening of a training programme on Anti-corruption, Ethics and Integrity Training in Local Government Administration for chairmen and officials of local government councils of Abia.

Nta said it was so unfortunate that most local government chairmen that “danced to the tune of politicians” had retarded development in their local government areas.

The ICPC chairman said the officials needed to take into consideration the importance of good governance and the welfare of the people.

Nta observed that the local government tier of governance in Nigeria was the most fraught with corruption-prone processes.

He said because the officials compromised with the politicians on corruption demands, their institutional processes, infrastructure and personnel, were the least-developed compared to federal and state tiers of government.

“Corruption adapts itself to the host and kills off healthy cells as it has to feed on them for survival.

“When you leave a cancer for too long without appropriate diagnosis you create more problems and bring financial ruin to the patient and his family.

“Early detection or indeed preventing it when you know that your family is pre-disposed to it saves a lot of future anguish,’’ he said.

He said the commission was therefore starting the training of local government chairmen from Abia at the request of the State Government.

“They will be taken through various anti-corruption tools, principles of good governance, transparency and accountability, procurement of goods and services and how to handle corrupt demands.

“Their success will be measured through verifiable indicators.

“If at the end of their tenure they go home with a clean slate, ICPC will be happy and their citizens will be happy,’’ he said.

Prof. Sola Akinrinade, Provost, Anti-corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), described local government administration as the heart of government in the country, being the level of government closest to the people at the grassroots.

“For most people in our communities, their first point of call is the local government.

“The face of government to the people is the local government administrators and managers, and the expectations are high particularly in relation to service delivery,’’ Akinrinade said

He said roads linking various parts of our communities, primary health care and rural health centres, community primary schools and provision of potable water were the things that made meaning to the people.

He warned that when these basic services failed, the government had failed, and therefore, a great deal depended on the managers of the local governments not to fail the people.

The provost said unfortunately, reports over the years had not given any stakeholder cause for confidence.

The two-day programme was attended by 68 officials from the 17 local government areas of Abia.