The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, has said that the Assembly was yet to receive any formal petition from any quarters as regards the allegation of zero allocation to council areas in the state.

Oluomo stated this when the State Accountant – General, Mr. Babatunde Aregbesola and members of the Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JACC), appeared before it following its invitation for clarification on the said allegation.

He explained that the Evidence Act did not allow for response to speculations, while assuring that when such a petition is received, the Assembly would act on it immediately.

Oluomo urged the JAAC team to provide all relevant documents in respect of their presentation to the Assembly for further legislative action.

Meanwhile, members of the JACC Committee have reacted to the allegation of fund diversion against the State Government, saying 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 to take care of all their first line charges. (Tribune)

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