• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BusinessDay

Abiodun defers appointment of commissioners in Ogun over dwindling resources

The current economic realities playing out in Ogun state since Governor Dapo Abiodun was sworn in on May 29th, 2019, for a four year tenure in the first instance, took its toll on the executive cabinet appointment on Thursday when the governor wrote the State House of Assembly requesting for deferment of commissioners’ appointment in favour of senior special advisers and special advisers’ appointment.
BusinessDay gathered that Governor Abiodun settled for the appointment of senior special advisers and special advisers, having considered the current economic realities that have created a sharp disequilibrium between the monthly internally generated revenue accrued to the state coffers and the total monthly expenditure expended on government’s financial obligations.
It will be recalled that the governor declared at an APC Stakeholders’ meeting held in Abeokuta sometime last month that he had to borrow N7 billion to pay workers’ salaries for the month of May and to fulfil other financial obligations of the state which obviously fell short of N9.1 billion state monthly wage bill as claimed by immediate past governor, Ibikunle Amosun.
Former governor, Ibikunle Amosun would always declare that the monthly wage bill of government was N9.1 billion and the state generated between N6 and N7 billion as internally generated revenue in addition to about N3.3 billion constantly drawing from Federation Accounts monthly for which he was able to fulfil all government’s financial obligations.
But, Governor Abiodun, having observed the dwindling resources of state in terms of internally generated revenue and lack of sustainability in borrowing to finance recurrent expenditure, deferred the appointment of commissioners to 20 existing state ministries as part of swiftly prudent move to maintain his administration pending the rebound of the state economy.
Granting the approval at the plenary held at the Assembly Complex on Thursday, the State House of Assembly gave Governor Dapo Abiodun the green light to appoint two senior special advisers and 20 special advisers to oversee the affairs of the state pending the appointment of Commissioners for various Ministries.
BusinessDay reports that approval was consequent upon a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff and seconded by Bolanle  Ajayi and supported by the whole House through a voice vote, shortly after the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo read Governor Dapo Abiodun’s correspondence dated 2nd July, 2019 before the lawmakers at a plenary.
The letter partly read, ” Mr Speaker, in order to sustain and intensify the momentum for the new administration, pending the appointment of Honourable Commissioners for various Ministries, I write to seek the approval of the Honourable House for the appointment of Two (2) Senior Advisers and Twenty (20) Special Advisers”.
Meanwhile, the House of Assembly has constituted 23 Standing Committees following the passage of a motion moved by Soneye Kayode, representing Obafemi Owode State Constituency, seconded by his Ijebu East counterpart, Adams Isaac and supported by all members through a voice vote,  shortly after the Deputy Speaker, Oludare Kadiri read the report of the Selection Committee earlier constituted by the Speaker in the previous week.
The Committee according to the report are: Works and Infrastructure having Fasuwa Abiodun as its Chairman, Committee on Transportation to be led by Elemide Oludaisi, Finance and Appropriation would be chaired by Sobukanla Olakunle, Adegoke  Adeyanju would head Health Committee, just as Education, Science and Technology would be chaired by Adeyemi Ademuyiwa.
Also, Sylvester Abiodun would be in charge of  Agriculture and Forestry, Akeem Balogun wold head Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, while Ajibola Sikiratu would  chair Women Affairs and Social Development, Committee, just as the Committee on Environment has Wahab Haruna as its Chairman, with Committees on Youth, Sports and Employment Generation would be headed by Isaac Adams and Kayode Soneye would be in charge of Lands and Housing.
In addition, Information, Culture and Tourism has Adejojo Yusuf as Chairman, Kemi Oduwole would head  Committee on Commerce, Investments and Industries, just as Bashir Abdul would chair Oil, Gas, Energy, Water Resources and Rural Development and Adeniran Ademola would head Special Duties Committee, while Lamidi Musefiu would oversee Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption, just as House Services has Bolanle Ajayi as Chairman.
Others are Committee on Establishments and Public Service Matters to be led by Modupe  Mujota, Justice, Ethics and Public Petitions has Solomon Osho as chairman, Yusuf Amosun would be in charge of Cooperatives and Community Development, Speaker Olakunle Oluomo would also serve as Chairman of the Selection and Fund Management Committees with  the Majority Leader Yusuf Sheriff being the head of Rules, Bills and Resolutions Committee.