Lagos Assembly tasks council chairmen on prompt payment of severance

The Lagos State House of Assembly has directed chairmen of the 57 local government councils and council development authorities on prompt payment of severance allowances of their political office holders.

The Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr Olayiwola Olawale, made this known in Epe on Wednesday during an oversight tour of the LGA and the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the zone.

It was reported that the committee visited Ikosi Ejirin LCDA, Eredo LCDA and Epe Local Government Area.

Olawale, representing Mushin II, said that the severance allowance must be included in their annual budget to avoid passing over liabilities to the coming administration, given the short time before the expiration of their tenure.

The lawmaker said that hitherto the legislative had given the chairmen directive that they should have a sinking fund for rainy days.

“The essence of severance package is that all the political office holders will have their monies before the end of the tenure, but reverse is the case,” he said.

Also, a member of the committee, Mr Rasheed Makinde, while speaking with newsmen noted that the severance packages must be paid.

“What we saw here in Epe Local Government is far better, most of their projects are contracted out not necessarily direct labour and they have impact on their localities.

“The issue of severance suppose to be part of the things they should have taken care of since the inception of their administration.

“They have to look for money to put aside for the payment of severance to all the political office holders so that it won’t be a liability to the coming administration.

Earlier, The Executive Chairman, Ikosi Ejirin LCDA, Mr Shamsideen Onanuga, thanked the committee for commending his administration over the befitting legislative chamber for the councilors.

Onanuga, however, said that he received condemnation for being Chairman of the tenders board at the council, a development that was contrary to laid down procedures.

He however, promised the lawmakers that he will revert back to status quo as regards the tender board’s policy.

In Eredo LCDA, the Council Chairman, Mr Adeniyi Saliu, commended the committee, adding that he would make necessary corrections on some issues raised by the lawmakers during the oversight visit.

Adeniyi said: “The committee has done a very good job, they are thorough, very detailed and were very objective about the things they saw on ground and the assessment of it.

“We feel very happy in the areas we have done well and they commended us, however in the areas they asked us to look at, as for me, it is an appraisal and I take it very seriously.

“We will not take it for granted and we are going to see it as a call to duty in ensuring the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the people of Eredo LCDA.”

Also, Mr Adedoyin Adesanya, Chairman Epe Local Government, thanked the members of the committee for commending his council for doing due diligence in awarding and execution of contracts.

Adesanya said his administration had always observed minimal direct labour involvement which was a clear cut signal of a thorough administration.

He said: “This we give us an appraisal to know what we are doing, we will know our lapses and how to correct it.

“Here in Epe we don’t have IGR, our allocation is too small and what we are expending the revenue on is just too much.

“This is because we listen to the public at our quarterly stakeholders meeting to feel their pulse and know what they need.

Some of the other committee members on the oversight tour were Mr Rauf Age-Sulaimon (Amuwo Odofin II), Mr Nurein Akinsanya (Mushin I) and Mr Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho II).