Akeredolu Lied Over Release Of Fund To Ondo House – Lawmakers

The Ondo State House of Assembly says the current administration of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the previous administrations in the state had failed to release money for the renovation of the complex .

The House of Assembly also described the Assembly complex as the worst in the country in terms of infrastructure.

Akeredolu had told Journalists when he paid a visit to the house following reported snake invasion incident that necessary funds have been released for maintenance of the house of Assembly chamber.

But the lawmakers, who spoke through the Chairman House Committee on Information Mr Gbenga Omole, on Tuesday pointed out that it was true a snake was found inside the hallow chamber last Wednesday while the termites-invested ceiling of the chamber caved in, preventing the plenary session from being held.

This according Omole, informed the Assembly to adjourn sitting indefinitely.

The lawmakers, who had earlier claimed to have no financial capacity to carry out project on the Assembly complex, had called for total autonomy of the legislative arm of government for proper functioning.

The lawmakers also accused the Governor Akeredolu’s media team of doctoring the video tape of the event that happened when the governor inspected the Assembly complex after the snake appearance.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their parliamentary meeting held at the Speaker’s Lodge, Alagbaka, Akure, the Ondo legislators reiterated that the Assembly complex was in a state of dilapidation and needed urged renovation.

The parliamentary meeting was presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Bamidele Oloyeloogun, while the communique was read by Mr. Success Torukerijo, the lawmaker , representing Ese Odo State Constitutency.

The lawmakers said, ” We want to restate and reaffirm that on Wednesday July 24, 2019, a snake fell from the ceiling into the chamber of the Assembly.

On Thursday July 25, 2019, part of the ceiling caved in and fell into the chamber, preventing us from holding a schedule meeting inside the chamber.

” We take exeption to the doctored video released from the media office of the governor as it did not reflect what transpired when the governor visited the Assembly on Friday July 26, 2019 and we will not want to join issue by releasing the original version of the tape .

” We reiterate the constitutional status of the legislature as an independent arm of government which therefore, deserve to be accorded as such .

” We want to state without any equivocation that no fund has been released to the Assembly for the capital projects in the last five years, in spite of the yearly budgetary provision and there has not been any cash-backing for the renovation of the Assembly for the past 10 years .

“It is pitiable that the Ondo State House of Assembly is the worst in terms of infrastructure in the whole country.

It will also interest the public to know that the office of the speaker and the deputy speaker have no official cars .

The angry lawmakers also declared that they would not waiver in their responsibility as the representatives of the people of the state .

When contacted, the Ondo State Commissioner for Information Mr Donald Ojogo, declined comment on the matter.

About Author

Admin

See author's posts