Obaseki alleges massive fraud in LG administration

Obaseki

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has expressed worry over monies being removed from the coffers of the various Local Government Councils of the State without due process.

The Governor expressed the sentiment on Tuesday, when the Local Government Service Commission presented its 2020 Annual Report to him at the Government House in Benin City.

According to him, “A situation where people take cash advances in huge amounts and they don’t retire it and nothing happens is worrisome. A situation where you cannot correlate the staffing in certain local governments with their resources or earnings is a problem.”

Obaseki, who maintained that the local government is an important tier of government,vowed to reposition the Commission and empowered workers for better efficiency and optimal service delivery.

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He noted that achievements by any government would be insignificant if the local government councils were not viable.

According to him, “the local governments have a bigger role to play in the life of the people in terms of the perception and impact of government than at the state level.

“We pay salaries and pensions on time on the 26th of every month, but if the local governments don’t pay, there will be more people that will not get money.

“So, we cannot justifiably argue that the government is paying salaries on time when there is a segment of government workers that are not getting their salaries as and when due. It will rubbish whatever achievements that we have made at the state level.”

On his part, the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Chief Tom Uloko, said the commission, which was inaugurated on 26th November 2019, has recorded some achievements, including the promotion and advancement of 5,372 senior and junior staff across the 18 local government councils, confirmation and conversion of 574 junior staff, and approval of voluntary and compulsory retirement from service for 191 members of staff, among others.

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