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By Olatunde Odimayo, Lokoja.
Five suspended local government administrators in Kogi state on Tuesday appeared before the joint house committee on public account and chieftaincy affairs to defend themselves over alleged misappropriation of local government funds.
The suspended local government administrators who appeared before the committee are; Baron Okwoli of Igalamela-Odolu, Moses Akande of Ogori-Magongo, Taufiq Isah of Ijumu, Moses Olorunleke of Kabba-Bunu and Abdulkareem Ohiare of Okehi.
Before the day’s business kicked off on the floor of the sixth assembly, the chairman joint house committee on public account and chieftaincy affairs, Honorable Jimoh Omiata (PDP, Yagba East), noted that they are not out to witch hunt any individual but to ensure proper accountability of tax payers money.
Adding his voice, the deputy chairman of the committee, Sunday Shigaba (PDP, Bassa) expressed appreciation to all the administrators for honouring their invitation which is inline with the constitution.
Meanwhile, after swearing on oath before the joint committee, the suspended local government administrators including the special adviser to the Kogi state governor on local government and chieftaincy affairs, Engineer Sadiq Abubakah Ohere, were directed to submit relevant documents before the committee to justify their position that they are not guilty of the allegations leveled against them.
The embattled administrators, who were led by Engineer Ohere, provided documents on behalf of his ministry, while all the embattled administrators failed to follow suit.
Due to the inability of the suspended administrators to provide documents requested by the members, the Kogi state chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), who doubles as the administrator for Ijumu local government, Taofiq Isah, spoke on behalf of other administrators appealing to the committee for more time saying they got the information that they will appear before the House late on Monday.
His position was backed by Sadiq Ohere the special adviser to Kogi state governor on local government and chieftaincy affairs.
But Chairman of the committee, Jimoh Omiata was not satisfied with the position of the special adviser.
While the member representing Ankpa, Ahmed Mohammed (PDP, Ankpa 1) and Haruna Musa Idoko (APC, Idah) both supported the plea for more time, member representing Igalamela-Odolu constituency, Elder Friday Sanni raised some observations following the magnitude of the allegations leveled against the embattled administrators.
Ohere pleaded that the administrators be given one week to provide the document which was later agreed by all members of the committee.
The Committee, however, turned down the appeal from Ohere that the embattled administrators should be given that liberty to work for their local government while investigation are ongoing saying they have no power to return them back.
It will be recalled that the state House of Assembly, last week, suspended five local government administrators for gross misconduct.
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