Committed to participatory democracy and the promotion of democratic ideals at all levels of government in Ogun State, the State House of Assembly has lifted the suspension placed on the Chairmen of the the 20 Local Government Councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas in the State instituted by the 8th legislature, with a charge on them to ensure proper accountability of all financial records in their respective councils.
The Assembly’s directive was consequent upon the passage of a resolution titled “HR No./043/ OG/2019- Report of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Respect of the suspended Political office Holders in all the Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas across the State”. The passage of the resolution came shortly after Hon. Akeem Balogun presented his Commitee’s report and moved the motion for its adoption, which was seconded by Bolanle Ajayi and supported by the Whole House through a voice vote.
The report partly states, ” following the receipt of various petitions on allegations of financial misappropriation and non performance leveled against the Chairmen of the 57 Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas in the State, the 8th Legislature via House Resolution 018/2019 on Friday, 31st May, 2019 suspended all political office holders in all the Local Government Councils and LCDAs in the State”.
Subsequently, after the Assembly’s various investigations, the House noted that: “All the Local Government and LCDAs were short changed in terms of allocation from the Federation Account by the immediate past administration in the State. It was detected that each of the local government councils and LCDAs only obtained the sum of twelve million Naira (N12m) each, paid in six months instalments for the entire period of thirty (30) months under review.
Majority of the Chairmen were found guilty of complacency and docility in the face of constitutional breach on their functions and finances by the immediate past administration of the State. Majority of the Chairmen were found guilty of not keeping proper records of activities of their councils and non-challant attitude and violation of procedural rules and financial guidelines by council officials”.
Consequently, the Assembly recommended that those chairmen found culpable be referred to the appropriate agencies of government for further investigation, with a directive to them to put their respective councils in order to ensure transparency and accountability in the administration of the third tier of government.
In another development, the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo has called on the State Ministry of Works and Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) to immediately instal barriers on both sides of the Ososa Bridge on the Sagamu-Benin Express way as well as refelective traffic signals to alert road users of the danger spot with a view to averting any further loss of lives on the failing portion of the bridge.
Oluomo, who noted that the road that the road belonged to the Federal Government, gave the directive while responding to the submissions of members including Kemi Oduwole, Lamidi Musefiu, Abayomi Fasuwa, Bolanle Ajayi, Sylvester Abiodun, Adegoke Adeyanju, Bello Atinuke, Ganiyu Oyedeji and Oludaisi Elemide who called for government intervention on the situation of roads in their respective Constituencies.
The Speaker while acknowledging Governor Dapo Abiodun led administration’s effort in the provision of palliative measures on roads across the State, attributed the deplorable state of the roads to long years of neglect by past administration. He also appealed to the residents to bear with government as full road construction and rehabilitation where necessary would commence immediately the rain subsides.
