The Ogun State House of Assembly has directed the leadership of the 20 local government councils in the state to take urgent steps to improve the documentation and management of official records, assets and financial transactions.
The directive was issued by the House Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption, chaired by Hon. Damilare Bello, during its consideration of the 2024 report of the Auditor-General for Local Governments at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The committee’s review formed part of the Assembly’s ongoing oversight of the financial activities of local government councils, with emphasis on transparency, accountability and proper management of public resources. A similar report on the exercise noted that the committee had commenced consideration of the Auditor-General’s 2024 report and was seeking stronger controls over government assets and official records.
Bello, who was accompanied by members of the committee, stressed the need for councils to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of their activities, assets and financial dealings.
He said, “There is a need to immediately strengthen proper record keeping in the local government councils to promote accountability, effective asset management and proper oversight.”
The chairman further directed the councils to produce comprehensive records of their landed properties and ensure that government assets were properly documented and maintained.
He also called for the recovery of local government number plates still in the possession of unauthorised persons, particularly those who were no longer entitled to use official government identification.
Bello said, “All government-issued number plates must be properly documented and accounted for. Those in the possession of retired or former officials should be retrieved to prevent abuse.”
The committee expressed concern that poor filing of official documents and financial records could undermine its ability to properly scrutinise the activities of the councils and determine how public resources were being managed.
The lawmakers therefore directed the affected councils to return with updated records, complete documentation and adequate explanations on issues raised during the review.
The committee’s position is consistent with its broader call for stronger internal controls at the local government level. The Auditor-General for Local Governments, Abdul Najeem Olayinka, had also urged councils to strengthen their internal audit mechanisms and promptly reconcile financial records to reduce infractions.
Olayinka said, “The internal control mechanisms, particularly the Internal Auditors, must function effectively by promptly reconciling financial records to reduce infractions.”
