Okpebholo gives council chairmen 48-hours to submit statements of account to Assets Verification Committee

The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the 18 local government council chairmen in the state to submit their statements of account.

the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City.

Okpebholo directed the council chairmen to submit the statements to the Assets Verification Committee, through the office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG.

He said the statement of accounts should be effective from September 4, 2023 till date.

He said the statements of account would help and enable the Assets Verification Committee do its job effectively and efficiently.

The governor, at a meeting with the councils’ chairmen at Government House, however, promised to work closely with them for a better Edo state.

He was represented at the meeting by his deputy, Dennis Idahosa.

“I have listened to you keenly, the ALGON Chairman. The Governor is a leader of all of us. Election has come and gone and we are all one family. The Governor has asked me to assure you that we are one family.

“He has also asked me to tell you that we will work closely together. I guess you are aware that a few weeks ago, the Assets Verification Committee was constituted.

“Mr. Governor is committed to transparency and accountability in this Government and that Committee would not have the resources to go across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State.

“The Governor would want you to submit your statement of accounts from 4th of September 2023, to date, to the Assets Verification Committee within the next 48 hours (2 days), as that would help and enable the Committee to do its job effectively and efficiently.

“The statement of accounts should be sent through the office of the Secretary to the State Government to the Assets Verification Committee. The Governor thanks you for your time,” he said.

Earlier, Newman Ugiagbe, chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Area and also the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), who led the 18 local government chairmen on the courtesy visit, pledged their loyalty to Governor Monday Okpebholo and promised to collaborate with him to ensure that the administration succeeds.

“We are here to congratulate the Governor and the Deputy on the mandate the Edo people gave them and here to pledge our loyalty to your administration.

“Our doors are open to your instructions, policies and programmes, as we are ready to bring your policies down to the grassroots to enable our people to benefit from the dividends of democracy as we will work to ensure your administration succeeds”, he stated.