Osun Assembly Probes LG Finances

 

By Israel Afolabi

The State of Osun House of Assembly has said that it would not relent in its efforts at ensuring accountability and good governance at Local Government level.

Speaker of the Assembly, Dr. Najeem Salaam stated this through his deputy, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye at the commencement of the appearances the Local Governments, Local Council Development Areas, Area Councils, and Administrative Offices managements at the House of Assembly complex, Osogbo.

The appearances of the council authorities followed summon by the parliament to defend their Statement of Accounts in the last six months forwarded earlier to the state assembly.

Addressing the officials on behalf of the speaker, Adegboye maintained that the exercise is obligatory for the legislature as part of its statutory duties to engage in periodic verification of accounts of local councils across the state.

According to him, “This exercise will enable the House of Assembly to ensure proper monitoring of expenditure of all the projects executed at the grass root. I believe that the committee in charge will do justice to it at the end”.

He further stated that the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt anyone, rather it was aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the expenditure of public funds, just as he advised them to be orderly throughout the exercise.

Speaking, the Chairman, House Committee on Public Account, Hon. Rasheed Afolabi stated that the essence of the invitation was to allow official of the councils render all the account of their stewardship in the last six month in office.

He said: “The House invites you here to give report of your services to the people since inception of your administrations at various councils”.

The lawmaker informed the officials that the exercise would be followed by physical inspection of projects claimed to have been executed at various councils.

The Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Wasiu Adebayo later advised the officials of the councils to always come with their secretaries whenever they appear before the parliament.