Chairmen of the 18 local government areas in Edo State have received a 48hrs ultimatum from the state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo to submit a detailed statement of account
Governor Okpebholo who gave the ultimatum during a meeting with the council chairmen at the Edo State Government House on Tuesday in Benin, demanded the council bosses submit the statements to the Assets Verification Committee, through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
Represented by the deputy governor, Hon.Denis Idahosa,the governor emphasized that the statement of accounts should be effective from the 4th of September 2023 till date.
This is even as he promised to work closely with the council chairmen for a better Edo State.
“I have listened to you keenly, the ALGON Chairman. The Governor is a leader of all of us. Election has come and gone and we are all one family. The Governor has asked me to assure you that we are one family.
“He has also asked me to tell you that we will work closely together. I guess you are aware that a few weeks ago, the Assets Verification Committee was constituted.
“Mr. Governor is committed to transparency and accountability in this Government and that Committee would not have the resources to go across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State.
“The Governor would want you to submit your statement of accounts from 4th of September 2023, to date, to the Assets Verification Committee within the next 48 hours (2 days), as that would help and enable the Committee to do its job effectively and efficiently.
“The statement of accounts should be sent through the office of the Secretary to the State Government to the Assets Verification Committee. The Governor thanks you for your time,” he noted.
Earlier, Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Edo State Chapter, and Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Newman Ugiagbe, who led the 18 local government chairmen to the meeting, pledged their loyalty to the governor and promised to collaborate with him to ensure that the administration succeeds.
“We are here to congratulate the Governor and the Deputy on the mandate the Edo people gave them and here to pledge our loyalty to your administration.
“Our doors are open to your instructions, policies and programmes, as we are ready to bring your policies down to the grassroots to enable our people to benefit from the dividends of democracy as we will work to ensure your administration succeeds.”