Ogun Assembly reinstates suspended LG/LCDAs council executives

The Ogun State House of Assembly, on Thursday, reinstated all the 20 local government and  37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA), executives.

TribuneOnline recalls that the executives were suspended on May 31st by the 8th legislature, following receipts of various petitions on allegations of financial impropriety and poor performance levelled against them.

The Assembly 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 Committee’s report and moved the motion for its adoption, which was seconded by Hon Bolanle Ajayi and supported by the Whole House through a voice vote.

The reinstated executives were charged to ensure proper accountability of all financial records in their respective councils.

Upon investigations, the House discovered that all the local governments and LCDA were shortchanged in terms of federal allocation by the immediate past administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

ALSO READ: Kogi: Union cries out over non-payment

According to the report, the Assembly also observed that each of the local government councils and LCDAs only obtained a paltry 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 the 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-challan attitude and violation of procedural rules and financial guidelines by council officials,” the report partly reads.

However, the  Assembly has recommended that those chairmen found culpable be referred to the appropriate agencies of government for further investigation.

Meanwhile,  the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. 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 Expressway as well as reflective traffic signals to avert loss of lives on the failing portion of the bridge.

Oluomo, who noted that the highway 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 all  called for government intervention on the situation of roads in their respective constituencies.

This development came after recent incidences of vehicles plunging a Sienna space into Ososa river, leaving many dead.