Lagos State House of Assembly has constituted an eight-member Ad Hoc Committee to identify, document and facilitate the recovery of assets belonging to the Lagos State Government.
The Committee is saddled with the responsibility of identifying and establishing the status of all documented and undocumented properties and other assets owned by the State Government.
Speaking during the exercise, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Obafemi Saheed, emphasised that effective oversight and accountability remain key legislative responsibilities of the House. He noted that this includes scrutinising government expenditure, monitoring the utilisation of public funds and ensuring that taxpayers’ money is responsibly applied in line with approved objectives.
He further explained that the exercise would enable the Committee to establish the assets owned by the State, assess their current status and determine whether they are being effectively utilised for the benefit of Lagos residents.
He enjoined the MDAs that were yet to submit the requested documents to please do so without further delay and appear before the Committtee as scheduled. He warned that any Head of Ministry, Agency, or Institution that treats the Committtee with disdain or failed to appear before it will be dealt with accordingly.
He concluded that the Committtee has the power to subpoena anyone and can seek the House approval to issue a warrant of arrest to recalcitrant persons.
The Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that have so far appeared before the Committee include the Lagos State New Town Development Authority (NTDA); Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA); Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA); Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture; Ministry Of Basic And Secondary Education; Ministry of Tertiary Education; Ministry Of Wealth Creation And Employment; Lagos State Ferry Services; Lagos State Printing Corporation; Lagos State Agriculture Input Supply Authority and Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority.
During the engagements, the Committee made pertinent inquiries and directed the MDAs to provide comprehensive records of all assets under their custody, including both documented and undocumented properties.
The exercise is aimed at identifying, verifying, and facilitating the recovery of such assets for the benefit of the State.
The exercise is expected to continue, with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies scheduled to appear before the Committee.
Other Honourable Members present at the meeting were Hon. Jubreel Abdulkareem, Hon.Olayinka Kazeem, Hon. Samuel Apata, Hon. Sobur Oluwa and Hon. Bonu Solomon.