By Ifedayo Adeniyi
Members of the Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC) in Ogun State, on Friday said, allocation meant for local governments in the State from the federation allocation is not missing, saying every fund approved by the Committee consisting of stakeholders passed through the various Local Government Council Accounts.
The members of the Committee, who made the clarification while appearing before the State House of Assembly on the enquiry over the allegation of fund diversion by the erstwhile Chairman, Ijebu East local government, Mr Wale Adedayo.
Adedayo, had alleged that local governments in the state had been receiving zero allocation from the federal government purse since 2021, alleging that about N10.8bn belonging to the council areas in the state was missing
Adedayo, who was on Thursday suspended by seven councillors in the council area, 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 (EFCC), calling on the anti-graft agency to investigate all allegations levelled against the state government as regards LG allocations
Members of the committee who appeared before the lawmakers 1 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 governments take care of all their first line charges.
Responding, the Speaker, 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.
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