By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The Lagos State House of Assembly suspended the chairman of the Ifako-Ijaiye local government, Mr Oloruntoba Oke for misappropriation of council funds and dereliction of duty.
The House ordered the withdrawal of the the council manager, treasurer and engineer from the council to the civil service commission.
The House therefore directed the Vice Chairman of the council,Mr Usman Hamzat to take over administration duties with immediate effect.
This followed the resolution of the House after taken the report of the five-man Ad-Hoc committee on the investigation of Ifako-Ijaye Local government.
While presenting the report, the Committee Chairman, Hon Rotimi Olowo investigating a petition written by six ifako Ijaiye councillors,residents explained that the Council Chairman sought for soft loan for completion of local government secretariat and rehabilitation of road.
He added that the council manager, Mr. Otuniyi advised Toba not to collect the loan but he obtained the loan without approval.
Olowo also notes that while investigating the allegation, it was revealed that some of the projects were not completed and contracts were executed through direct labour.
The Chairman revealed that despite getting loan and payment forthwith, the work done such as roads and construction of secretariat were not commensurate to the projects executed.
It was also disclosed that the loan of N350 million taken in 2012 during Oke’s first term in office was not appropriately expended.
The House pointed out that Oke also failed to abide by the administrative guidelines stipulated by the State Assembly in 2011.
In his comment, the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Muyiwa Jimoh said, the error created was as a result of the bureaucracy in local government and failed to abide by the administrative guidelines set up by the House.
He therefore stated that “the council manager, treasurer and engineers should also be affected.”
In his contribution Hon Abiodun Tobun noted that “from this report, we have observed the heads of the council were working at variance with law of the council.
“The council supposed to work in compliance with the State government in making dividends of democracy available to the people,” Tobun said.
Hon Bisi Yusuff explained that, “the recommendations of the committee will make some of those who feel untouchable to sit tight.”
He added that as a member of the Committee and a former chairman of a council, “I’m in support of making one as a scapegoat to serve as deterrent to others.”
In his argument, the Majority Leader, Hon Sanai Agunbiade stated that the recommendations of the Committee were predicated on the fact that “the councilors had already passed vote of no confidence on the Chairman.”
The second aspect of the recommendations according to Agunbiade, were the comments of the residents of the area.