Oyo State House of Assembly on Monday suspended five Local Government Area (LGA) caretaker chairmen and eight Local Council Development Area (LCDA) chairmen in the state indefinitely.
The local government caretaker chairmen suspended include Ibadan North East LG, Ido LG, Oluyole LG, Itesiwaju LG, and Oyo East LG.
The LCDAs affected also include Akinyele East LCDA, Lagelu West LCDA, Soro LCDA, Ogbomoso Central LCDA, Ogbomoso South LCDA, Ajorosun LCDA, Ibarapa North West LCDA, and Oyo South East LCDA.
The decision to suspend the local government bosses was taken after a prolonged meeting by the lawmakers.
The state assembly disclosed that the suspended persons were sanctioned for failing to meet the deadline for the submission of a report on the state of earth-moving equipment in their respective councils.
The deadline for submission of the report, as learnt was October 23, 2020.
According to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, who presided over the meeting alleged that the affected caretaker chairmen displayed gross incompetence by their failure to produce what he described as a simple report.
He stressed that the action of the assembly was in line with the provision of Section 21 of the Local Government Law of the state.
“Without prejudice to the provisions of this law and sequel to the petition received by the State House of Assembly and upon investigation, any culpable chairman or vice-chairman shall be recommended for suspension or removal by a resolution of the House.
“It is not a witch-hunt of any chairman. Thirteen caretaker chairmen failed to honour and respect the directive of the House,” Ogundoyin added.
The lawmaker representing Ibadan South East II, Segun Ademola, had earlier presented the report of the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters to the House.
He stated that despite the extension of the deadline by two weeks, the local government and LCDA chairmen failed to submit the report of earth-moving equipment in their domains.
Also commenting, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Muhammad Fadeyi, described the action of the erring chairmen as an insult to the 9th Oyo State House of Assembly, hence they should be suspended indefinitely.
