By Ebunoluwa Sessou
The Lagos State House of Assembly has constituted an eight-member ad hoc committee to identify, document and facilitate the recovery of government-owned assets, including properties whose ownership or status may not have been properly documented.
The committee is mandated to establish the status of all documented and undocumented properties and other assets belonging to the state.
Speaking during the exercise, the committee’s chairman, Mr Obafemi Saheed, said effective oversight and accountability remained key legislative responsibilities of the House.
He said these responsibilities included scrutinising government expenditure, monitoring the utilisation of public funds and ensuring that taxpayers’ money was judiciously applied in line with approved objectives.
According to him, the exercise would enable the committee to establish the assets owned by the state, assess their current status and determine whether they were being effectively utilised for the benefit of Lagos residents.
Saheed urged ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that had yet to submit the requested documents to do so without further delay and appear before the committee as scheduled.
He warned that heads of ministries, agencies and institutions who failed to honour the committee’s invitations or treated its proceedings with disdain would face appropriate consequences.
The chairman said the committee had the power to subpoena individuals and could seek the approval of the House to issue warrants of arrest against those who refused to comply with its directives.
The MDAs that have appeared before the committee include the Lagos State New Town Development Authority; Lagos State Waterways Authority; Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority; Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture; Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education; Ministry of Tertiary Education; and Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment.
Others are the Lagos State Ferry Services; Lagos State Printing Corporation; Lagos State Agriculture Input Supply Authority; and Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority.
During the engagements, the committee made inquiries and directed the MDAs to provide comprehensive records of all assets under their custody, including documented and undocumented properties.
The exercise is aimed at identifying, verifying and facilitating the recovery of government assets for the benefit of the state.
The committee is expected to continue its engagements, with other MDAs scheduled to appear before it.
Other lawmakers present at the meeting were Hon. Jubreel Abdulkareem, Hon. Olayinka Kazeem, Hon. Samuel Apata, Hon. Sobur Oluwa and Hon. Bonu Solomon.
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