By Ebunoluwa Sessou
Lagos State House of Assembly has commenced consideration of the 2024 Statutory Audit Inspection Report on the accounts of the state’s 20 Local Government Areas, LGAs, and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs.
The exercise, being conducted by the House Committee on Public Accounts (Local), is expected to last two weeks and focuses on scrutinising the financial activities of the councils for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Officials of Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Badagry, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ikeja, Oriade and Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Councils appeared before the committee at the commencement of the exercise.
The committee is examining the councils’ revenue generation, expenditures and management of public funds, with a view to strengthening accountability, transparency and prudent financial administration at the grassroots.
Speaking at the commencement of the exercise, Chairman of the committee, Prince Nureni Akinsanya, said the scrutiny was part of its statutory responsibility to examine the Auditor-General for Local Governments’ report and ensure that public funds entrusted to the councils were properly accounted for.
Akinsanya said chairmen of the LGAs and LCDAs, alongside relevant officials, would be required to respond to outstanding issues raised in the audit report and provide documentary evidence to support their submissions.
He stressed that the exercise was not intended to witch-hunt any individual or council, but to enable the committee to discharge its responsibilities objectively, transparently and without bias.
According to him, particular attention would be paid to whether revenues accruing to the councils during the period under review were judiciously utilised and properly accounted for, while expenditures would also undergo thorough scrutiny.
He said the committee’s findings and recommendations would subsequently be presented before the House for consideration and appropriate action.
Akinsanya urged council officials to cooperate fully with the committee by promptly providing requested documents, financial records and explanations throughout the exercise.
Members of the committee present at the commencement included Suraju Tijani, Bonu Solomon, Ganiyu Sanni, Ogundipe Stephen and Femi Saheed.
Other local governments and local council development areas are scheduled to appear before the committee as consideration of the 2024 audit reports continues.
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