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Lagos Assembly Begins Consideration Of Audit Reports Of 57 Councils, Demands Accountability

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The Lagos State House of Assembly, through its House Committee on Public Accounts (Local), has commenced consideration of the 2024 Statutory Audit Inspection Report of the Auditor-General for Local Governments on the accounts of the state’s 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

The two-week exercise began with the appearance of officials from Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Badagry, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ikeja, Oriade and Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Councils.

The exercise is aimed at scrutinising the financial activities of the councils for the year ended December 31, 2024, with a view to promoting accountability, transparency and prudent management of public funds.

Speaking at the commencement of the exercise, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Nureni Akinsanya, said the exercise was part of the committee’s statutory responsibility to scrutinise the Auditor-General’s report and ensure that public funds entrusted to the councils were properly accounted for.

Akinsanya said the chairmen of the LGAs and LCDAs, alongside relevant officials, would be required to respond to outstanding issues raised in the audit report and provide documentary evidence to support their submissions.

He stressed that the exercise was not intended to witch-hunt anyone but to enable the committee to discharge its statutory responsibilities objectively, transparently and without bias.

“The committee would particularly examine whether revenues accruing to the councils during the period under review were judiciously utilised and properly accounted for, while expenditures would also be subjected to thorough scrutiny”, said Akinsanya.

He added that the committee’s findings and recommendations would be presented to the House for consideration and appropriate action.

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Akinsanya urged council officials to cooperate fully with the committee and promptly provide requested documents, records and explanations throughout the exercise.