Wale Jagun
Chairmen of the Local Government (LG) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Ikorodu division have been asked to account for the income and expenses of their respective councils as their four years tenure at the helms of affairs is gradually winding down.
The non performing verdict recently delivered by the Lagos State House of Assembly committee when its members visited the six councils in Ikorodu Division ignited the call for the call on the council chairmen to give account of stewardship of their respective administrations.
At the forefront of this demand is a social and developmental group, Ikorodu Heroes (I – Heroes) which has demanded that the council Chairmen should avail it their records of allocations from the federation and state governments as well as that of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and how the monies have been expended.
The demands were contained in a release signed by the President of the group, Mr Seun Elesho, a copy of which was sent to THE IMPACT.
In the document, which was titled, “The Score Card Of Our Local Government and Local Council Development Areas”, I – Heroes stated that the verdict of the state lawmakers gave them serious concern and thus, the need to further pursue their request concerning the provision of details of the income and expenditure of the councils by the chairmen.
They also threatened to invoke the provision of the Freedom of Information Acts if the chairmen failed to make them available.
“Our organization is deeply concerned about the score of low performance by the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas within Ikorodu Division by the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government Affairs during their recent fact finding mission to the division”, the statement said.
“We are aware of the fact that this low score report cannot be far-fetched from the public perception of the general performances of the Executive Chairmen of Local Government and Local Council Development Areas within Ikorodu Division.
“We equally notice that each time the chairmen are confronted with their low score card, they are quick to latch on to the excuse of paucity of funds.
“As a community based organization with interest in the development of the division, we wrote a letter to the offices of the executive chairman/chairperson of the Local Government and Local Development Council Areas within the division, seeking to invoke the freedom of information act on them to provide all documents relating to their income and expenses but we are yet to get any response from any of the offices.
“We are using this opportunity to remind the executive chairmen/chairperson of Local Government and Local Council Development Areas within the division to live up to the responsibility of their respective offices.
“We also want to take this opportunity to remind the Executive Chairmen/Chairperson of the councils, to respond to our letter, at least by carrying the communities which they are governing along in the dealings. This request is again brought under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011”, I – Heroes said.
