SCANDAL: Ogun Assembly Summons Ex-commissioner Odusile, Gov. Abiodun’s Aide, SF Ojo For Mismanaging N92.9m

For failure to follow “due process procedure”, the Ogun State House of Assembly has invited a former State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile, a former Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abiodun Awere and the Director of Finance and Accounts who served in the Ministry between 2021 and 2022 for questioning over misappropriation of N92.9million.

The Chairman, House Committee on Public Account and Anti-Corruption, Hon. Damilare Bello issued the directive while considering the Ministry’s auditor reports for the years 2021 and 2022 and the financial records as presented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Waheed Adesina at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

It would be recalled that, Emmanuel Ojo has remained in Canada since his reappointment as SSA on New Media to Governor Abiodun in May last year.

Bello said the invitation became imperative following some financial infractions contained in the audit reports for the financial years referred.

Bello in company of other members of the Committee submitted that the invited officials were expected to appear before the Committee on Thursday, 29th of February, 2024 at 1.00pm to provide further information on various infractions regarding N92.9m released to the ministry from the Governor’s contingency fund to supplement funds released for the expenditures of the Ministry.

The Committee also directed the Ministry’s Director of Finance and Accounts to furnish the Committee with further details on the transfer of N2.51m to individual accounts as contained in the Year 2021 Auditor General Report.

According to the Committee, “it was observed from the available records and bank statements of the Agency that N2,515,590.00 was transferred to the personal accounts of Mr. Ojo Emmanuel, Special Adviser on Media for the purchase of working tools for OGSG New Media Team.

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“This was a breach of Due Process procedure and it is against financial Regulations No. 614. It is advised that funds should be transferred directly to the vendors Bank Accounts and not individual personal accounts for the purpose of accountability and transparency”.

The Committee equally directed the Director, Finance and Accounts to avail the Committee with the Ministry’s up-to-date fixed asset register, while requesting for the submission of the cash inflows and outflows.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adesina assured the Committee that efforts were being made to guide against issues raised in the audit report, promising that the Ministry would comply with the all directive with a view to continually promoting accountability and transparency in the running of the Ministry.

In a related development, the Committee has examined the years 2021 and 2022 financial records of the State Library Board as presented by the Executive Director of the State Library Board, Vincent Giwa.

The Chairman of the Committee directed the former Director, Administration and Supplies in the State Library Board as well as his Finance and Accounts counterpart to appear before the Committee for further clarification on some issues raised in the reports of the Auditor General for the period.

The Committee also sought for the submission of supporting documents including minutes of Tender Board meetings and invoices on some budget heads, with a directive to the internal auditor to report to the Committee within the next seven days.