Okpebholo Orders LG Council Chairmen to Submit Statements of Account In 48 Hours

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The 18 local government council chairmen in Edo State have been directed by Governor Monday Okpebholo to, within 48 hours, submit their statements of account to the Assets Verification Committee set up by the new government to take stock of assets and liabilities of the state. The financial statements, which are to cover September 4, 2023, till date, are to be submitted through the office of the secretary to the state government, (SSG) Musa Umar Ikhilor.
Recall that the council chairmen were sworn in Monday September 4, 2023, by the immediate past governor, Godwin Obaseki, following the contentious 2023 LG poll. The then ruling PDP won all the chairmanship councillorship seats at the election.
The All-Progressives Congress, (APC) as the opposition party then, had kicked against the announcement of results and swearing-in of the chairmen, contending that there was no local government election in the state.
However, the local government chairmen under their umbrella body, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON) have pledged their loyalty to Governor Okpebholo, declaring that they were ready to ensure that his administration succeeded by bringing his policies down to the grassroots for the benefit of their people.
Speaking when the chairmen paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Governor Okpebholo, who was represented by his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, promised to work closely with them for a better state.
According to Idahosa, “I have listened to you keenly, the ALGON Chairman. The Governor is a leader of all of us. Election has come and gone, and we are all one family. The Governor has asked me to assure you that we are one family.
“He has also asked me to tell you that we will work closely together. I guess you are aware that few weeks ago, the Assets Verification Committee was constituted. Mr. Governor is committed to transparency and accountability in this Government and that Committee would not have the resources to go across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State.
“The Governor would want you to submit your statement of accounts from 4th of September 2023, to date to the Assets Verification Committee within the next 48 hours (2 days), as that would help and enable the Committee do its job effectively and efficiently.
“The statement of accounts should be sent through the office of the Secretary to the State Government to Assets Verification Committee. The Governor thanks you for your time”.
Earlier, the state ALGON chairman, and Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Council, Newman Ugiagbe, who led the 18 local government chairmen on the courtesy visit, pledged their loyalty to Governor Monday Okpebholo and promised to collaborate with him to ensure that the administration succeeded.
Ugiagbe said, “We are here to congratulate the Governor and the Deputy on the mandate Edo people gave them, and here to pledge our loyalty to your administration. Our doors are open to your instructions, policies and programmes, as we are ready to bring your policies down to the grassroots to enable our people benefit from the dividends of democracy as we will work to ensure your administration succeeds.”