The members of the Joint Account and Allocation Committee in Ogun State have denied the allegation of local government fund diversion against Governor Dapo Abiodun.
They said every fund approved by the committee during its monthly meeting has always passed through the various Local Government Council Accounts.
The committee members appeared before the State House of Assembly to give clarification over the allegation of fund diversion as alleged by the suspended Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Wale Adedayo.
Adedayo had alleged that local government areas in the state had been receiving zero allocation from the federal government purse since 2021, adding that about N10.8bn belonging to the council areas in the state was missing
Adedayo, who was suspended by seven councillors in the council area, on Thursday, over about 15 allegations bordering on alleged financial mismanagement to the tune of over N50m, had in a letter written to the national leader of the party and former governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, urged him to convince the governor to release monies meant for council areas.
He also wrote a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, calling on the anti-graft agency to investigate all allegations levelled against the state government as regards LG allocations.
Those who appeared before the Assembly on Friday included the Accountant General, Mr. Tunde Aregbesola, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Rotimi Akinlesi, State Chairman, Association of Local Government Chairmen and Chairman, Ijebu Ode Local Government Council, Tunde Emiola Gazal, Chairman, Association of Local Government Pensioners, Pastor Benedict Ademoye and representatives of SUBEB among others.
According to statement from the Assembly, the JAAC members were said to have explained that the process of fund administration for JAAC always takes place monthly at a meeting which included the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and his Permanent Secretary, the 20 Local Government Chairmen, Commissioner for Finance, State Accountant General, President and Secretary of NULGE, representatives of Traditional Councils in the State, Local Government Service Commission, Bureau of Local Government pension and representatives of LG Pensioners amongst others.
They added that it was at the meeting that all first-line charges including Primary School Teachers’ salaries, LG pension, traditional council, leave bonuses and check-off dues of labour unions are aggregated among LG chairmen and payment made.
According to them, there were instances when the State Government had to augment shortfall to allow all the Local Government Councils to take care of all their first-line charges.
Responding, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Olakunle Oluomo clarified that the Evidence Act did not allow for response to speculations, pointing out that the Assembly was yet to receive a formal petition from any quarters in respect of the allegations.
He assured that when such a petition is received, the Assembly would act on it immediately, urging the JAAC team to provide all relevant documents in respect of their presentation to the Assembly for further legislative action.
Meanwhile, journalists were barred from gaining access to the Assembly premises for their primary assignment.
The gate leading into the Assembly premises was shut against journalists who were on the ground to cover the appearance of Aregbesola and JAAC committee members.
Security operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps attached to the Assembly politely asked for each of the journalists’ names and informed them that their names were not on the list of those expected.
One of the lawmakers who confided in our correspondent said the directive preventing journalists from accessing the Assembly for assignment was “order from above”.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Segun Kaka, were unsuccessful, as calls put through to his lines were not picked.
