Lagos Assembly clears JSC,Audit commission

By Lanre Adesanya

The Lagos State House of Assembly, confirms nominees for members of the state’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC) as well as the Audit Service Commission earlier sent by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for legislative ratification.

The Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said the confirmation was in line with Section 198 and Two (2) of the Nigeria Constitution (as amended) and the Lagos State Audit Service Law respectively.

Obasa after voice votes ratifies the nominees and directed the Clerk of the House to convey the decision of the House to the governor.

Mr. Abdulfatai Oluwole, Barrister Mrs. Mojisola Sodipo, Mr Adedayo Adekunle and Mr Rotimi Seriki were confirmed as members of JSC.

Alhaji Waliu Onibon, Mr Moses Dosu, Mrs Folake Onabolu, Mr Adekunle Otusemade and Mr Abiodun Aigbe were confirmed as members of Audit Service Commission.

Earlier, the lawmakers took turn to interrogate nominees from both commissions on how to move the commissions to greater heights.

In response to question on the implication of Treasury Single Account, Onibon said that it would checkmate manipulations and ease tax payers of process bottlenecks.

“Multiple Account is not in conformity with the constitutional rules which state that all government fund must go into a single account, legislated upon before it is spent. Multiple accounts gives rooms for manipulations even by the MDAs.

“Single account make it easy for tax payers, no bank official will be asking which account are you paying into?

“What the government need is a robust type of account that will take care of the various sources of funds coming into government coffers”. He called for a good reconciliation system.

Onabolu who claimed to be the first female Forensic Auditor in Nigeria, assured lawmakers that government accounts were in best shape.

“I assure this House that necessary machinery will be put in motion to make sure that state resources are judiciously used,” she said.

She added that the commission’s core mandate of producing professionally qualified auditors as well as offer technical advice on audit service to the government with core value of integrity, honesty, accountability would be vigorously pursued.

Many of the lawmakers lauded the governor for selecting the crop of professionals to head the two crucial commissions.

They also took turned to affirm and attest to the ability of the nominees to deliver.

The Assembly adjourned its plenary session till November 2.