By John Obi
The Administrative Panel of Enquiry set up on the 18th of December, 2024 to investigate the financial dealings of the impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen in Edo State from 4th September, 2023 to November, 2024 has submitted the report to Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Itua said the Chairman of the panel, Solomon Imohiosen, while submitting the report and recommendations to Governor Okpebholo over the weekend disclosed that findings and forensic investigations uncovered that huge sums amounting to ₦96 billion were either mismanaged and/or diverted to private accounts.
“The panel’s investigation uncovered significant irregularities in the financial activities of the 18 Local Governments Councils. The recommendations outlined in the report aim to address these issues and promote transparency and accountability in the Local Governments finances,”
According to the statement, the panel observed that ₦95 billion was received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee (JAAC) by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen for the period investigated. It, however, reported that the funds were not judiciously utilized as no meaningful projects were on the ground to justify the amount received.
The panel reportedly confirmed fraudulent diversion of Local Government funds to political godfathers in the State, alleging that over ₦10 billion was fraudulently siphoned, using the psudo name, “Security, Environment and Training.
The report is said to claim that the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen contributed to the account, which was used as a conduit pipe to drain government resources, as money were transferred from there to various individuals and companies.
Besides the impeached Local Government Chairmen who were reportedly indicted by the report, former governor Godwin Obaseki, and leaders of the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), among others, were also allegedly indicted.
