Members of the Joint Account and Allocation Committee in Ogun State have dismissed the claim of monthly zero allocation to the State's 20 local councils as alleged by the Suspended Ijebu-East Local Government Chairman, Hon
Wale Adedayo against Governor Dapo Abiodun's administration in the state since 2021
The JAAC members reacting to the allegation of fund diversion against the State Government told the State House of Assembly's Committee probing the matter during a special session on Friday that
every fund approved by the Committee consisting of stakeholders passed through the various Local Government Council Accounts.
The members of the Committee, who appeared before the State House of Assembly on the enquiry over the allegation of fund diversion included the State 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.
They 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 bonus 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 Council take care of all their first line charges.
Responding, the Speaker, Right Honourable Olakunle Oluomo clarified that the Evidence Act did not allow for response to speculations, pointing out that the Assembly was yet to receive formal petition from any quarters in respect of the allegations.
He assured that when such petition was 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.
The Suspended Council Chairman had written opened letter to former governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, alleging that the Governor Abiodun had been diverting the monthly statutory allocation meant for all the local councils in the state since 2021, including over N10 billion ecological fund for them
But other Councils Chairmen led by their leader under the auspices of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) , Hon. Emiola Gazal of Ijebu-Ode Local Government to disassociate themselves with the claim and begged for forgiveness during a meeting with the governor at his Oke-Mosan Abeokuta office
Adedayo was on Thursday later suspended by the majority of the councilors in the legislative arm of his Ijebu-East Local Government over alleged financial misappropriation, the allegation he has vowed to challenge in court
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