Ilesa North East House of Parliament is Forging Ahead in its Duty of Vetting, Monitoring and Implementation of Council Project and Programs

The Mini Hall started by the administration of Hon. Tunde Fagbemi as the Executive Secretary of Ilesa North East LCDA in 2017 is yet to be completed and this is having an adverse effect on the generation of revenue from prospective couples of the council that intend statutory marriage but complain that the council's mini hall is not attractive and not at all befitting many therefore go to the mother council to sign the dotted lines but the Parliament found it on record that money had already been approved and released for the realisation of a befitting mini hall project to be well painted and fitted with fans.

To this end the HoD Administration, Mrs. A. F. Akinbiola, the HoD of Works and Transport, Engr. J. A. Adetayo and Mr. A. K. Adesanyin the HoD of Social of Ilesa North East LCDA appeared before the council's legislature presided over by the Leader of the Parliament, Hon. Femi Olowe. Other members of parliament in attendance were the Vice Chairman Hon. Mrs. Funmilola Ayoola, the Deputy Leader Hon. Sunday Adekanmi, Hon. Mrs. Elizabeth Adetunji and Hon. Tunde Fagbemi. The council's chairman Hon. Olaniyi Oladipo (aka Oluyi Blow) was on official engagement and could not attend the sitting.

Engr. J. A. Adetayo the HoD Works and Transports alleged that Mrs. F. A. Akinbiola, the HoD Admin had refused to endorse the approval of the total sum of N761000 earmarked to complete the project. The HoD Admin in her appearance at the parliament's plenary submitted that she was not around when the discussion on the project was initiated but not withstanding when the Council's Exco met the seven hundred thousands Naira (N700,000) was approved and the cheque for the sum was signed and collected by the HoD Works It was the decision of the Exco and that the N61000 the Director of Works is asking for does not form part of the approved money for the project.

Hon. Funmilola Ayoola asked to know if there is the minute of that Exco meeting that stated the amount approved for the project. The HoD Admin promised to produce the minutes of the Exco meeting at next sitting of the House.

HoD Works insisted that N761000 was approved and N700000 was paid and it remains N61000 as balance. The HoD Admin insisted that N700,000 was approved and paid. The HoD Works explained he collected the N700,000 in the first instance, that he complained to the Council Manager when it was written in the approval letter presented to him by the Admin who assured him that it was an oversight and the balance of N61000 would be paid later. Arguing further that due process must be adhered to by auditors, due process engineers on works that are technical like construction of buildings that are supposed to work on the bills and that it is left for the Exco to approve or reject the project. The House suspended discussion on the issue until the next meeting when the Council Manager and the immediate Executive Secretary will be around to shed more light on the issue.

The HoD Admin, Mrs. A. F. Akinbiola also explained that the allowances of Casual Workers of the Council are paid from the allocation accrued from the Federal government as against the earlier submission of the Director of Finance that the allowances are paid from the IGR. Explaining how the Administrative Department of the Council generates Revenue Internally, the Director said "Revenue is generated from statutory marriage where N10000 is paid by each couple, Council Identification paper where each applicant is made to pay a sum of N2100 and the duty of the collection of these levies is delegated to officers in the council. The department has issued out 96 certificate of origin N201600. For marriages the council has only generated N270,000 this year amounting to only 27 marriages.

The HoD social, Mr. A. K. Adesanyin explains on Women Development Unit (WDU) in the council that comprises of the wife of the chairman, the vice chairman, the secretary and the wife of the honourable members. The wife of the chairman is the chairperson. They hold meeting once in a month and they deliberate on issues involving women, the aged and the children in the society. They are coordinated from the state by the wife of the governor. In a case where the honourable member is a female he can nominate a female child or a sister or an preferred acquaintance to represent her. And the department of social also generates revenue from the registration of clubs and societies and associations. N10000 for each registration which is paid to the bank

The HoD presented the list of all ongoing projects in the council.

The list:

Completed Projects
1. Installation of a gifted transformer at Ward 2 Orisunbare costing N4500,000
2. High Tension line extension with transformer repair and financial assistance for the rehabilitation of road at Temidire Ward 2 costing N500,000
3. Feeder pillar replacement and 400m aluminium cable replacement with one High Tension pole at Anaye Ward 7 costing N400,000
4. Repair of spoilt transformer at Iroye junction by Unique FM costing N300,000.
5. Renovation, equipment and staffing of a Maternity centre at Obaala court at a cost of N500,000
6. Procurement of 500KVA transformer at Igbaye ward  3 costing N3200,000

ONGOING PROJECTS

1. Financial assistance for rehabilitation of road by communal efforts at Ifesowapo Fadahunsi to cost N250,000  and the whole of N250,000 has been released
2. Lined drain, box culvert, laterite filling and grading of community road at Sadugba to cost N3.5 million N1million has been released
3. Kerbs, grassing, drain, hall completion, disused classrooms conversion to offices, prepaid mater acquisition, fence, Secretariat complex construction at Ward 2 to cost N70,400,000; breakdown as follows:
A. Fencing to cost N2,400,000 of which N800,000 has been released
B. Construction of Secretariat complex to cost N68,000,000 of which N2,500,000 has been released.

The House decided to visit the sites to know the true situation of things...
Hon. Tunde Fagbemi.submitted that "there must be people among us to monitor what the departments are doing".

The plenary was adjourned and to reconvene at a date to be communicated to the press.

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All photos credit: Oladimeji Lasore