In 2013, nine councillors in the local government petitioned the
Lagos State House of Assembly over alleged financial impropriety of
Tajudeen Ajide, the council boss..
Tajudeen Ajide.....
FoTo: Newsexpress
Premium Times
Lagos
April 8, 2014
The Executive Council of Surulere Local Government in Lagos State was involved in numerous financial irregularities, including awarding millions of naira worth of non-executed contracts in 2012, official documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES have shown.
An audit examination of the books and records of the council revealed that the local government obtained N10 million as term loan and N57.6 million as vehicle loan without appropriate approval, in violation of the Lagos State Public Finance Management Law 2011.
In 2013, nine councillors in the local government petitioned the Lagos State House of Assembly over alleged financial impropriety of Tajudeen Ajide, the council boss.
The councillors, who passed a vote of no confidence on Mr. Ajide, had accused the council boss of monumental graft and a “high level of incompetence, callousness, and total disregard for all democratic principles.”
The councillors also accused the council boss of abuse of office by seeking to witch-hunt them for performing their statutory oversight duties.
Mr. Ajide had repeatedly kept mum in the face of all the allegations despite several efforts to reach him including PREMIUM TIMES’ visits to the council secretariat.
A report of the Auditor-General for Local Governments on the accounts of the council, made available to PREMIUM TIMES, reveals series of official graft by the Executive arm of the local government.
Several official queries sent by the Auditor-General to the local government were not responded to, the report stated.
The audit, for the year ended December 31st 2012, was carried out in compliance with the provisions of Section 50 subsections 1-4 of Lagos State Local Government Administration Law No.7 of 1999.
A financial overview of the council’s revenue for the year under review revealed a total revenue of N726.8 million, broken down into Balance brought-forward on 1st January 2012 of N19.7 million; Federal Statutory Allocation N433.7 million; Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) N57.5 million; Wharf Landing Fees N24.2 million;
LASAA (Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency) N16.9 million; State Grant (Project Fund) N107.2 million; and Loan and Sundries N67.6 million.
The total expenditure under review was N729.7 million, comprising of Non-Pensionable Cost N86.9 million; Overhead Cost N444 million; and Capital Expenditure N198.8 million.
The debt profile for the year under review totalled N186.7 million.
365 Days of ‘GRAFT’
“Audit further observed that the expenditure was devoid of transparency and accountability since credible documentary evidences such as certificates of attendance, hotel accommodation bills and course fees receipts were not attached to the payment vouchers,” the report stated, noting that the penalty for such offence was to surcharge the defaulting officers.
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