January 29, (THEWILL) – Ogun State House of Assembly has called on the Permanent Secretary of Local Government Service Commission to summon all officials involved in the various financial infractions audit reports.
The Assembly made the summon through its Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-corruption led by its Chairman, Hon. Musefiu Lamidi.
Lamidi had directed that the concerned officers should provide clarification on the record of books of the audit reports between 2014-2019 on the 20 LGAs before the lawmakers.
The Committee also summoned one retired Mrs. F.O Odebiyi and a former Chairman of the defunct Sagamu South LCDA, Barr. Hassan Olugbenga to appear for further explanation on the financial infractions committed while in office as specified in the audit queries before the lawmakers on Thursday, February 3rd, 2022.
The Chairman and the Deputy Speaker, Akeem Balogun including other lawmakers: Abdul Bashir Oladunjoye, Kunle Sobukanla, Bolanle Ajayi, Ganiyu Oyedeji, Amosun Yusuf as well as Adams Olusola respectively, said that the committee discovered the trend of illicit practises perpetrated by some council’s officials.
They said that the illegal practises were non attachment of supporting documents to payment vouchers and the use of unqualified officials as conduit pipes to syphon council funds, nugatory payments, improper signing of payment vouchers and self procurements.
The lawmakers said that there was the need to prevent the recurrence with a view to sustaining transparency in the running of the councils, saying that financial infractions should not be overlooked for betterment of LGAs.
In his remarks, the Auditor General for Local Government, Lamidi Mulero lauded the lawmakers for ensuring a thorough examination of the six years audit reports, stating that the exercise was conducted in good faith with transparency and high level of fairness.
Mulero admonished the auditees to desist from such practises as the office under his watch would step up measures towards curbing mismanagement of government resources.
