18th May, 2012
The Lagos State House of Assembly has announced the immediate dissolution of the executive committee of the state butchers’ association.
The House explained that this would bring an end to the leadership crisis rocking the association.
The announcement was made after the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between feuding parties of the association at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The House also directed the feuding parties to withdraw all cases in court for peace to reign in the association.
It warned that it would scrap the association if the crisis continues.
Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Co-operative and Rural Development of the House, Ibrahim Layode, whose committee met with the factions, said the Assembly was prepared to scrap the association except its members respected the agreement to end what he described as the war within the association.
“We have had enough of the crises among the parties, I mean the authentic and factionalised members of the association and it is our desire to ensure peace in the association,” he said.
He urged members to respect the association’s constitution which stipulates that all elected officers must spend three years in office.
He directed that executive council meetings for the future leaders of the association must be rotated at the two headquarters.
The House also asked the executive to present financial statement in hard copy to members monthly.
The House retained the Board of Trustees of the association.
Members of the factions, in their reactions, promised to conduct a new election, which would exclude the present chairmen of each of the factions, within the next 90 days.
Investigations revealed that the crisis within the association was caused by alleged misappropriation of funds and marginalisation of other members by the association’s leadership.
—Eromosele Ebhomele