* As Other Government Oversight Agency Constitute Probe Committee
Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba
These times both for the executive and legislative actors within Oshimili South LGA, are not the best as they are at daggers drawn level of engagement.
Within the recently past couple of months, a somewhat brewing cold war, had recently developed into some full scale political warfare, with both sides unleashing their democratic weapons, with a view at undermining the other.
Politically motivated information at our disposal unveil that the legislative arm of the council is more than ever before determined to put an end to what it described as a reign of undemocratic, zero transparent & accountability regime churned out by the council's executive chairman.
It is no more news in the council area that the councilors had commenced impeachment processes against the council boss.
But what is yet cleared to the public are reasons for such actions.
According to a letter made available to us, that was sent to the honourable speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, dated 7th November, 2018, with reference number OSLG 053\49, from the legislative arm, sought for the council chairman's removal from office.
The councilors reasons for seeking intervention of the state assembly to relief the council chairman his office were centered around the grounds of gross misconduct and breach of some provisions of the Delta State Local Government Law, 2013 as amended.
Arising from it's plenary session of 6th November, 2018, the councilors resolved that the council chairman had erred in the discharge of his functions.
Citing some relevant sections of the Delta State Local Government Law, 2013, as amended, the leader of the legislative arm during a press briefing yesterday, Wednesday, threw more light on the reasons behind their actions.
Chief propelling reason, why the councilors are hell bent on implementing in full their impeachment process, according to the house leader, revolves around the premise that the undemocratic and zero transparent style of leadership the council chairman adopts is capable of negating their political leader's rising political profile in Oshimili south LGA, in the person of Gov Ifeanyi Okowa.
The council's law makers are not alone in the warfare, as information reaching us has it that the office of the auditor general (local government) had informed the embattled council boss of their forth coming roles.
In a letter dated 5th November 2018, with reference number DT\LGA\226\1\32 and addressed to the council boss, informed him about an already constituted audit team, whose investigation will commence on 12th November, 2018.
To make the audit team's job worth their time, the auditor general's office had informed the council boss to make available ahead of time some vital documents.
The audit team according to the letter will want the council chairman to make available a copy of approved 2018 budget, council's bank statement, bye law where various tariff for internal revenue were fixed.
Also demanded from the council chairman were charge payment vouchers for the period, 1st January through 18th October 2018, as well as cheque stubs for same period.
The auditing team will also want the council's cash book and expenditure ledger, comprehensive list of all unvourched payments and all financial records required for the audit exercise.
Listing their grievances, the councilors pointed out that the council chairman directed all revenue contractors and agents to pay revenue collected into private accounts, as well as that he consistently approves expenditure in default of appropriation, which they stressed amounts to fraudulent spending of the council's fund.
That the council chairman had abandoned his duty, traveled for more than two weeks outside the council area and the state without proper handing over to his vice chairman and without informing the legislative arm, accounts for another reason for their action.
The chairman had failed to hold weekly and monthly meetings with the vice and the councilors respectively, since inception of the administration in January 2018, thereby slowing down the progress and growth of the council, the councilors pointed out.
He had continued to award contracts without the passage of 2018 budget, again that he refuse to pay salaries of political office holders for the month of August and September 2018, remains other key factor in the whole sagger.
None payment of 19 months arrears owed officials of the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps deployed to the council, despite collecting the sum of N1,500,000 monthly for non pensionable staff, annoyed the councilors, as they alleged that such amounts to financial misappropriation.
The councilors lamented the recent dismissal by the council boss of men and officials of the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps, an action they maintained was carried out without due process and done in total disregard to the rule of law.
The law makers are somewhat not comfortable with a sudden disappearance of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira), fund they maintained was released by the state government for execution of people oriented projects within the council area.
Their worries has it that the fund disappeared into some undisclosed accounts and same amount not captured in the council's income and expenditure records covering January to September, 2018.
Finally, the councilors stressed that the council boss directed the council's treasurer and internal auditor to ignore and not honor invitations to explain any issues from the law makers.
Over these above stated reasons, the councilors rose from their 6th November plenary, found the council chairman guilt of gross misconduct and breach of the Delta State Local Government Law, 2013, as amended.
SOURCE: Asaba Post News Wire (ONLINE)
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