The Chairman of Owan West Local Government Area in Edo State, Mr.
Godwin Agbodion, has been suspended following allegations of financial
mismanagement and other administrative irregularities.
The State Governor, Comrade Adams oshiomhole, announced his
suspension while addressing members of the Local Government Executive
Council and Councilors Wednesday at the Government House, Benin City.
The Governor said, “We have tried in the past to call the Chairman to
have a good working relationship with his Executives. We have decided
to set up a committee of enquiry to investigate these allegations, both
financial and non-financial and in the provisions of the appropriate
legislations of the Local Government law, I have decided to exercise the
powers vested in me to suspend the Chairman during this period for the
committee to investigate all the allegations and submit the report to
me.
“So with immediate effect, the Chairman is suspended and a Committee
of enquiry is set up. In line with the rules, the Vice Chairman will act
as the Chairman of the Local Government. I direct the suspended
chairman to stay away from the premises of the Local Government. When
the Committee is ready to sit, the Committee will invite you and you
will have ample opportunity to defend yourself against all the
allegations.
“For now, we all have an issue in hand subject to the findings of the
committee.
So I have called you here as Chairman, Vice Chairman and
some of the Councilors, I advise you to desist from doing things that
will lead to violence or in any way lead to destruction. If anybody does
anything that leads to rioting or protests or anything that will
disrupt the peace of the community, the person will be exposing himself
because the full weight of the law will be brought to bear”.
Oshiomhole continued, “We have a collective responsibility to ensure
that there is peace and security. We have followed the provisions of the
law which provides for the suspension of the Chairman in the face of
allegations such as this. We expect the committee will work very quickly
and will give us a report based on which a final decision will be
taken.
I want to appeal to you Councilors whether elected or appointed
to maintain the peace. “However anybody who chooses to take laws into his hands will face
the consequence of the law because we will not allow anyone to do
anything that will undermine the security of the people of Owan West or
indeed any part of Edo state.
The Governor said, “While the Chairman is on suspension the Vice
Chairman will reserve all the powers and privileges of the Chairman.
Your brief is straightforward, it is to provide leadership and perform
those functions that the Chairman usually performs and you must avoid
his own mistakes, you must ensure that you do not in any way do anything
that will bother on financial mismanagement. You must follow due
procedure in award of contract or in any business that you want to do.
“If you are in doubt, please seek clarification from either the
Ministry of Local Government or from the Attorney-General or even
directly from my office. This is not something to celebrate or not to
celebrate. It is a huge responsibility that you now have to provide
leadership for the Local Government while this enquiry is on. “I don’t want to hear people are boasting or people are saying it is
my turn.
This is just a duty to perform and when the Chairman is not
available, the Vice Chairman takes over so go and provide the needed
leadership and I have no doubt that you are capable to do this and I
wish you the best of luck”. The Vice Chairman, Owan West Local Government Area, Hon. Reginald
Okuns will act as the Acting Chairman pending the outcome of the
investigation by the Committee of Enquiry.
Meanwhile, Adams Oshiomhole has set up a 4-Man Commission of Enquiry to investigate the allegations leveled at the Chairman. Inaugurating the Commission in his office, Governor Oshiomhole said,
“We decided to set up this committee on the provisions of Section 20,
sub-section 11 of the Local Government Law as amended 2006. Oshiomhole said,
“We have had series of allegations bordering on
administrative incompetence, poor governance, diversion of public funds,
non-payment of salaries and breach of procurement procedures against
the Chairman of Owan West Local Government and these allegations have
persisted in spite of my numerous attempt to advice him to review his
approach to governance and ensure that he obeys all the rules and
regulations and subject himself to the dictates of the law and the norms
of governance.
“It is clear from the gale of petitions and complaints that these
allegations have not abated and I am convinced that they are
sufficiently serious enough to warrant a formal enquiry. I am not in a
position to form an opinion on the basis of these allegations. In our
law, everyone is deemed innocent until he is found guilty.
“In line with the provision of the Local Government Law, Section 20,
in exercise of the power vested in me, I have decided to constitute an
administrative commission of enquiry to investigate these and other
allegations. This is not a judicial allegation and we are not
investigating criminal allegation, basically it is an administration
committee of enquiry and we have decided to look for seasoned and well
experienced administrators”.
The Governor said, “This suspension under the law is expected to last
for a period of two months. You are therefore expected to do everything
to turn in your report on time so that the issues can be determined one
way or the other within the time provided for in the enabling
legislation. Chief Tom Uloko is Chairman of the Chairman while Barrister Mrs.
Osagajah serve as Secretary. Other members are Maj-Gen Charles Omoregie
(rtd), Barrister Tunji Aroya.
Responding, Chairman of the Commission of Enquiry, Chief Tom Uloko
assured that the Commission will be firm, fair and apply all ethics
known to the law to carry out the assignment and report back as soon as
possible.
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