Osun Assembly Issues Strong Warning To LG Chairmen

The Osun State House of Assembly on Wednesday said it would not tolerate mismanagement and misappropriation of Local Government funds.

The lawmakers were reacting to the three petitions received by the Assembly accusing the Chairman of Orolu Local Government Council, Mr Adekunle Benson, of misappropriation of funds allocated to the council.

The House Committees on Public Accounts and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had summoned administrators of the 30 Local Government Areas and 36 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to give an account of how the allocation received and revenue generated in the last six months were utilised.

Mr Rasheed Afolabi, the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, said that the essence of establishing local government tier was to make the people at the grassroots feel the presence of government.

He added that providing the people basic amenities at the grassroots would fast-track development at the grassroots.

Mr Debo Akanbi, the lawmaker representing Ede-North State Constituency, while questioning the Orolu Local Government chairman, asked him to account for how the N270 million allocated to his council was spent.

Akanbi said the chairman should also give detailed account of his spendings, warning that the House would not accept corrupt practices that would impede development efforts at that tier of government.

Responding, Benson explained that he was constructing 16 boreholes and roofing the Orolu townhall which had been under construction in the last 35 years.

He said he had also graded roads within his council as well as constructed bridges linking some areas in the local government.