By Bilesanmi Abayomi
A heated debate broke out on the KosofePost Forum on October 21, as citizens, journalists, and former public officials engaged in a spirited exchange over the demand for transparency in local government project expenditures.
The discussion was triggered by a post from KosofePost.com, urging contributors to include project costs and implementation details when listing achievements of local government chairmen. The platform also offered to publish such information “free of charge.”
However, Àare Fatoki Ayobode Kehinde, former Supervisory Councillor for Environment in Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, countered the call, arguing that disclosure of project costs falls within the purview of “authorized agencies or courts of law.” He maintained that projects are routinely audited by the state auditor and reviewed by the Lagos State House of Assembly, insisting that “social media requests” are not valid grounds for financial disclosure.
His position drew immediate backlash from participants who saw it as a defense of opacity in local governance.
Engr. Olusola Emmanuel Adedayo (MIAENG), Publisher of MOSCHINOBLOG, dismissed the argument, emphasizing that “seeing projects does not automatically translate into knowing their costs.” He stressed that citizens and journalists are legally empowered by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to demand details of public expenditure.
Humanitarian advocate Taiwo Lasisi, President of Ta’awun Humanitarian Forum, described Fatoki’s comment as “a surprising contradiction to democratic accountability,” while community leader Comrade Olayiwola Sulyman (Opomulero) condemned it as “a criminal statement” often used by “those who siphon public funds.”
“Transparency and accountability do not need a court order. These are not private properties but public projects funded by taxpayers,” Opomulero argued.
Adding his voice, civic actor Oloye Salami Oluwaseun from Kosofe Federal Constituency called for proactive disclosure of project costs by council chairmen, arguing that “many local councils cannot justify the allocations collected with the available executed projects.”
“The era of mere paper project achievements celebrated on social media and billboards is over. Citizens must demand full accountability for every kobo collected,” Salami said, adding that he plans to invoke relevant sections of the FOIA to compel such disclosures where necessary.
In its closing remarks, KosofePost.com clarified that the exchange reflects a broader national challenge confronting local governments across Nigeria, stressing that citizens and journalists remain entitled to access public expenditure data under existing laws.
“It was portrayed as though citizens and journalists are not entitled to know, whereas the Freedom of Information Act provides that right. The issue goes beyond Kosofe — it is a national governance question,” the platform stated.
The discussion underscores the rising public demand for transparency, accountability, and proactive disclosure in local government administration — a conversation many believe must translate into real institutional reforms.