ABUJA—Naija Times Journalism Foundation, NTJF, has condemned what it described as a reckless and needless waste of public resources on a foreign trip to Turkey by wives of local government chairmen in Adamawa State, purportedly for ‘leadership training’.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its Chairman, Mr. Ehi Braimah, the Foundation described the development as provocative, corrupt and an insult to the sensibilities of citizens, especially at a time when key sectors of the economy in Adamawa are suffering from gross underfunding.
“The last time we checked, spouses of LGA Chairmen are not public officials. Even the idea of leadership training in a foreign land amounts to a bogus contraption meant to siphon public funds,” NTJF declared.
The group noted that Adamawa remains one of Nigeria’s poorest states, citing National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, data which ranks it as the fifth poorest in the country with a 75.41 per cent poverty rate.
It added that the state has endured years of insurgency and humanitarian crisis, requiring urgent investment in education, healthcare, infrastructure and social welfare rather than extravagant overseas trips.
“It defies belief and common sense that at a time Nigerians are clamouring for prudent and judicious use of scarce public resources, officials at the local level are frittering away funds on frivolities that add no value to citizens,” NTJF said.
The Foundation alleged that no budgetary provisions existed for the expenditure, describing the action as “unbridled corruption, fiscal indiscipline and impunity.” It called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to open an immediate probe into the matter, insisting that such violations of public finance laws cannot go unpunished.
“For the anti-corruption agencies, holding these errant officials accountable would be in line with Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which clearly mandates the state to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power,” the statement added.
NTJF also warned that tolerating such abuses would embolden other officials across the country to continue diverting public funds under dubious guises. It urged civil society, the media, cultural and religious leaders, as well as whistleblowers, to rise against corruption and expose similar acts of impunity wherever they occur.
The group linked its call to the ongoing debate on tax reforms in Nigeria, stressing that beyond expanding the tax net, there must be strict accountability in the use of public funds.
“Ultimately, citizens bear the brunt of corruption and needless expenditures such as the Turkey trip. This is why we must collectively demand transparency and accountability at all levels of governance,” NTJF maintained.
The Foundation pledged to continue working with citizen groups and anti-corruption advocates to fight misuse of public finances, warning that silence in the face of such brazen waste would only perpetuate the cycle of poverty and underdevelopment in states like Adamawa.
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