A former Auditor-General for local governments in Lagos State and a former Managing Director of Lekki Concession Company, Muhammed Hassan, tells TOFARATI IGE about his career in the civil service and other issues

What do you consider to be your major achievement as the Auditor-General for local governments in Lagos State?

I changed the face of the office to the extent that council chairmen now visit the place. Before I got there, no council official used to come (to the auditor-general’s office). But, after I got there, I changed the face of everything in the office, ranging from the personnel, buildings and equipment.

Also, I updated the statutory report. When I got there, they were in arrears for many years, so I updated all the reports.

What were the toughest decisions you took while in office?

The toughest decision was when I said some people should be sacked because they had overstayed in the service. Some had spent 40 years while some had three different birth certificates in their files. I brought them to the office with their files for physical interviews and they admitted that the three different birth certificates were theirs. That was what got them immediate retirement. Some refused but I blocked their salaries.

Many local governments in the country are believed not to be self-sustaining. Why do you think it is so and what can be done to change the situation?

I believe that local governments should be managed by experienced people and not by politicians. It should not be politised as well. By ‘politicise’, I mean going there to share money. If it is manned by capable people, LGs will grow and they will perform better than they are doing now. For instance, the current crop of council chairmen in Lagos State are young people. Some of them have never come in contact with tangible money before and now, they are in charge of millions of naira. How do you think they will feel when they see such money? They will misbehave. If we put competent people to manage the resources of local governments, it will rise and they would be self-sustaining.

It is believed that most LGs in the country are controlled by state governments. What do you think this portrays for LG administrations?

The Constitution places LGs under the state. Unless that is changed, there is nothing we can do.

You worked as a treasurer in some local governments. What were the highlights of that period in your career?

When I was in some LGs, my focus was to put the councils in a better shape and bring the records up to date. Everywhere I worked, I ensured that records were up to date. However, there was a nasty experience I had. I tried to digitalise the accounting system of a particular LG and I had almost concluded the process when I was posted somewhere else. My successor later reduced that project to nothing; he went back to the manual mode of operation.

What changes would you like to see in LG administration in the country?

The most important thing is capacity building. Capacity in terms of putting experienced people in charge of managing the resources of LGs. Also, autonomy should be given to LGs. If we say LG are just coming up and we treat them like toddlers, was that the way the Federal Government managed the states? If they are allowed to grow on their own, they would be responsible for their actions. There are too many vested interests in LGs. The state House of Assembly, commissioner for local governments and others often go there. But, if there are too many cooks, the soup would be spoilt. LGs should be allowed to grow and with time, they will rise to the required standard.

You contested a seat in the House of Representatives but didn’t secure the All Progressives Congress’ ticket. What were the major lessons from that experience?

I was defeated and since then, I have stayed aloof, looking at them.

What were the highlights of your time as the MD of Lekki Concession Company?

It was another experience entirely. I was accustomed to working in the civil service but when I got to LCC, I started to study the way they operate. I realised that when LCC was established, they didn’t really consider the residents, and that is why they (residents) were aggrieved. When I got there, I started dialoguing with them (residents) one-on-one and they talked to me from the depth of their hearts. They said they would not have anything to do with LCC. But eventually, they agreed with me. I also had quarterly meetings with the bales (kings) in that area.

The residents had different associations and I used to join them for their quarterly meetings and they told me the things they needed. It was at one of those meetings they told me that at the head office of LCC, there was a ‘small god’ there, while there was another ‘god’ at the roundabout in the Idado area. No matter the way they repaired that place, it would collapse after a short period. I asked them what was needed to appease those gods, so they would allow us to grow. They discussed with me freely because I told them I am a ‘son of the soil’. I was the first Lagosian to manage that place; others were ‘imported’ and called technocrats. That’s why 90 per cent of the workers there were not Lagosians. I wanted to change so many things but there were so many saboteurs within. It was annoying that after we agreed on a particular issue, they would go back to tell some people what we were planning to do. I would then be called ‘from above’ and asked to shelve whatever I wanted to do.

Since LCC was established, there had been no promotion for all the staff, and there were no organisational structures. I wanted to establish structures and carry out promotion exercises. But, I couldn’t achieve those. However, I know I made a positive impact while there.

You are a lecturer and examiner for some professional bodies. Tell us about them?

I have always loved teaching, right from when I was in primary school. When I was working, I did not like attending social parties, so I used my weekends to engage in such activities for a token. That actually assisted me to make some decisions as the auditor-general. I was setting exam (questions) for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and I was also an ‘accessor’. Whenever they have training programmes for their members, some of us would be invited to deliver papers there. But, the pay was not okay for me, so I dropped it.

I also lectured at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos between 1989 and 2019. I also lectured at ICAN schools, and that assisted me to write books. I have authored three books— Government Accounting, Financial Management in Local Governments in Nigeria, and Principles and Practice of Local Government Audit.

The lecturing helped me to introduce paper presentations to my staff. I groomed them and they usually took turns to address the whole house. For transparency, I used to bring in a professor to assess what they presented. Eventually, they (staff) appreciated it because a lady went to the Netherlands to present a paper. She later showed me the video and thanked me for the solid foundation (I gave her).

Tell us about your books.

Government Accounting covers accounting in the public sector. It’s recommended by ICAN, along with Financial Management in Nigeria Local Government. The third one, Principles and Practice of Local Government Audit, was basically about audit. I wrote it when I was an internal auditor in a local government.

You are a Fellow of many professional organisations. How have they aided your career growth?

Of all the professional organisations, ICAN is the major. I qualified in 1988, became an associate in 1990 and became a Fellow in 2000. My membership of ICAN certainly aided my career growth. With ICAN certificate and a degree or diploma, one would be elevated (promoted).

What personal quality has got to this stage of your career?

Honesty and humility. If one has these two qualities, one would rise and God would keep guarding and guiding one.

Who are your role models/mentors?

When I started working in the civil service in August 1980, my uncle, Richard Ege, was the Commissioner for Employment. After I graduated from secondary school, he took me to the Old Secretariat and told the then Director of Employment to employ and mentor me. I joined the service on grade level 03 and I rose to the highest grade level before I retired.

What are your other interests?

I like football. When I was young, (together with some friends), we formed Eleven Planners of Oyo Football Club. We fought and scattered it, then we regrouped and called it Santos FC.

There was a particular match we played at Badagry Grammar School. The opposing team was a popular club, Cosmos FC. They underrated us but when the game started, I was watching them and looking for an opportunity. It eventually came and I scored the winning goal.

What football team do you support now?

I have a favourite coach, not a favourite club, and he is Jose Mourinho (current coach of Serie A football club, Roma) because he is steadfast and faces his job squarely. He remains steadfast whether he wins or not.

How do you relax?

I don’t really relax. I read books and newspapers. Punch Newspaper is my favourite.