Ondo Assembly Investigates LGs Account
By Awodeyi Elizabeth
Ondo State House of assembly has commenced the investigation of all the eighteen local government accounts in the state.
It would be recalled that the House of Assembly, at the last plenary session, summoned the Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGA) to appear before it to account for their financial allocations over the past six months to ensure transparency and accountability.
The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji, while declearing the exercise open,warned local government administrators to comply with its directive or face the full weight of the law.
Oladiji also noted that the exercise is intended to ensure checks and balances for accountability and transparency regarding appropriated funds and is not intended to witch-hunt anyone, He emphasised that the lawmakers are the representatives of the people and must ensure that the public enjoys the dividends of democracy.
The Speaker, while expressing displeasure at the reluctance of some Local Government administrators to honour the invitation sent to them six weeks ago by the House Committee on Local Government, which necessitated the summons, noted that the process is the rightful and constitutional duty of the House of Assembly to request account presentations from local government administrators.
He urged them not to panic but to cooperate with the House of Assembly and present the necessary documents required of them.
Earlier, in a welcome address, the Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Oluwatoyin Victor Japheth, stated that the House of Assembly has the power to appropriate, monitor, and supervise local government finances.
He noted that the exercise is intended to set the record straight, warning the local government administrators who have refused to heed the call of the House of Assembly to present their accounts to do so or face the wrath of the House.
He stressed that the assessment would not be limited to technical sessions but would also include on-the-spot assessments of projects.
In an interview, the most senior HOLGA, from Akoko North East Local Council, Adewunmi Arijeniwa, said that they understand the constitutional duty of the House of Assembly concerning local government and are ready to cooperate with them.
According to him, the House is doing what is expected of them as representatives of various constituencies and would not be taken for granted.
The six local governments in the Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State appeared before the Committee of the Whole House today, while the Southern Senatorial District will appear tomorrow, August 20, and the exercise will conclude with the Central Senatorial District on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.
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