Account for COVID-19 donations now – Lagos Assembly tells Sanwo-Olu

Emmanuel AmudaMay 7, 2020

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The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday, May 7, has asked the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to account for donating funds in support of the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

The Assembly also said the appointment of the Amotekun Corps Commander by the state governor must be scrutinised by the lawmakers.

At the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, the House asked Sanwo-Olu to introduce a co-chairman from the executive arm to represent state’s COVID-19 Incident Commander before the House.

Obasa said: “It is our own duty to do what is right.

“The law says the executive will come forward to give account on what they have expended.”

A statement said both issues were discussed at the Committee of the Whole on Thursday during the presentation of the observations on the Coronavirus Pandemic Emergency Law 2020 and the Neighbourhood Watch Law 2020, sent from the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

Member representing Badagry Constituency II, Setonji David, while concurring with the recommendations of the House on the issues, said lawmakers must uphold the constitution and hold the executive accountable.

Also, member representing Ikeja Constituency II, Adedamola Kasunmu, said funds donated in the cause of the coronavirus pandemic must be properly accounted for.

Member representing Mushin Constituency II, Olayiwola Abdul-Sobur, maintained that the donations and grants accrued to the state government should be domiciled in the Consolidated Revenue Funds and the executive must be reminded that no money should be withdrawn from any public funds without the authorisation of the House.

“There should be transparency and trustworthiness on the part of the executive and they should be mindful of the funds which are donations and grants that are not budgeted for,” he said.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni, on Monday, announced the receipt of letters from the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Onigbajo, who wrote on behalf of the governor and urged the House to effect amendments in certain sections of the two laws.

The Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, had committed the observations raised in the letters to the Committee on Health, chaired by Abdul-Hakeem Sokunle, and Committee on Information, Strategy & Security, headed by Tunde Braimoh.

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