Osun State House of Assembly has warned of harsh legal consequences for whoever is found culpable in the illegal handling of local government funds in the state, saying such funds will be recovered legally, while those involved will be brought to book accordingly.
Addressing a press conference at Osogbo on behalf of the Assembly yesterday, the principal officers, led by the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun, raised the alarm over alleged illegal payments and the handling of billions of naira from the Osun Local Government Fund by the court-sacked APC chairmen, through the alleged machinations of a minister from the state.
Listed among such funds illegally paid were N25m to each of the 30 illegal APC chairmen, N12m to each of the 30 illegal APC vice chairmen, N10m to each of the 332 APC councilors, N130m each, to selected traditional rulers in Osun State, and N13bn legal fees payment to lawyers representing the chairmen and councilors as 15 per cent of deposited funds.
Reaffirming the illegality of forceful occupation of council secretariats by the political functionaries, the Assembly “condemned the callousness of the APC cronies and the minister, lamenting that “not one naira has been paid in the last 12 months as salaries of local workers, primary school teachers, nurses and other healthcare workers, local government civil servants, many traditional rulers and retirees.
“Even more disturbing are reports before this House that plans are allegedly underway to disburse another N50 billion of LG funds for political purposes, disguised as project funds, while governance at the grassroots continues to suffer”, he said.
The House alerted the public, declaring that, “it will not tolerate the diversion of public funds meant for salaries, healthcare, education, and community development into private hands to fund the election of a particular politician in Osun State”.
The Assembly which reaffirmed its oversight and legalisation powers based on the constitution affirmed that financial autonomy does not invalidate Section 7 of the constitution, declaring that, “the assembly legislative authority, or the power of the State House of Assemblies to make laws regulating Local Government administration, financial controls, and accountability, are expressly recognised under Section 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
