Kehinde Fajobi
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, revealed on Tuesday that he suspended 18 local government chairmen after they failed to account for over ₦12 billion allegedly remitted to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders within 15 months.
While hosting acting chairmen and councillors for a courtesy visit at the Government House, Okpebholo explained the suspensions were a response to the discovery that the chairmen were contributing large sums, particularly under a suspicious “Environmental security funding” item.
He found ₦800 million was being spent monthly on this unverified allocation.
Okpebholo stated, “When I came into the office, I had a meeting with the Accountant-General, and he showed me some books. Some of these spending had no explanation. I picked interest in some of the spending because I saw an item which was tagged ‘Environmental security funding.’
“I had never heard of that before, and the amount involved was huge, ₦800 million every month. These Chairmen were contributing this money and gave it to leaders of a party.”
He added that despite multiple requests for the chairmen to explain the spending, they failed to provide documentation within the agreed time.
Okpebholo then sent a letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) to investigate further.
“These Chairmen didn’t obey the instructions in two weeks as none of them submitted their books,” he said.
The governor expressed concern about the chairmen’s “wasteful spending” even as the state’s schools lacked sufficient teachers, stating that in some primary schools, only two or three teachers were available instead of the required 10 to 12.
Okpebholo emphasised, “The money that belongs to the local government. It does not belong to you but the grassroots. So, go and work with the resources.”
During the visit, Hon. Damian Lawani, Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, assured the governor that the acting chairmen were committed to ensuring grassroots development and working closely with the administration to deliver democracy’s dividends.