Ondo Assembly begins probe of LGs accounts

The Ondo State House of Assembly has begun auditing the financial transactions of the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

Speaking at the commencement of the exercise on Monday, the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, said it was the constitutional function of the legislative arm.

Mr Oladiji said that the Assembly represents the entire people of the state, hence it must ensure that there was checks and balance for accountability at the grassroots.

He described as worrisome and disturbing, when local governments in the state refused to oblige to show their financial records as ordered by the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

“It is a sad development when many heads of administration are reluctant to turn up for their records. It’s not their money, but public money. That is why we asked you to come for this exercise.

“Don’t see it as something else because some may want to blackmail us. We are not here to do what it’s not our right, but to do the right thing and for posterity to judge us.

“For eight months, are you saying we should not check your records. Cooperate with us or else, we will use the sledgehammer as a legislative arm of the government,” he said.

The speaker asked the heads of local government administration to cooperate with the house and present every document requested by the committee.

“There is no record that you must keep away from us except you have a secret. If you don’t have any document, we ask for now, go back and bring it.

“Nobody is demanding anything from you. Oblige the Assembly if we demand any record. It is an embarrassment to the Assembly if we request something and you refuse.

“Our aim is that our people should enjoy dividend of the democracy,” he said.

Earlier, Japhet Oluwatoyin, Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said that the exercise was a major function of the legislative arm being entrenched in the Constitution.

Mr Oluwatoyin added that the Assembly has power to appropriate and supervise the funds of the local governments.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the six local governments that appeared before the committee were: Akoko North-West, Akoko North-East, Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Ose and Owo.