The Lagos State House of Assembly has set up an eight-member ad hoc committee to track down government-owned properties, verify their status and facilitate the recovery of public assets.
The committee will identify both documented and undocumented properties belonging to the state and determine their current condition and utilisation.
Its chairman, Obafemi Saheed, said on Friday that the exercise formed part of the Assembly’s oversight responsibilities to promote accountability and ensure prudent management of public resources.
Saheed said the committee would scrutinise government expenditure, monitor the use of public funds and ensure taxpayers’ money was spent on approved purposes.
He said the exercise would help establish the assets owned by the state, assess their condition and determine whether they were being effectively used for the benefit of residents.
The chairman urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, that had yet to submit the requested documents to do so without further delay and appear before the committee as scheduled.
He warned that heads of MDAs and other institutions that ignored invitations or treated the proceedings with disdain would face appropriate legislative action.
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Saheed said the committee could subpoena individuals and seek the House’s approval to issue arrest warrants against those who refused to comply.
The agencies that had appeared before the committee included the Lagos State New Town Development Authority, Lagos State Waterways Authority and Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.
Others were the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture and the Ministries of Basic and Secondary Education, Tertiary Education, and Wealth Creation and Employment.
The Lagos State Ferry Services, Lagos State Printing Corporation, Lagos State Agriculture Input Supply Authority and Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority had also appeared before the panel.
During the engagements, the committee sought clarifications from the agencies and directed them to submit comprehensive records of all assets under their custody, including documented and undocumented properties.
The exercise is expected to continue, with other MDAs scheduled to appear before the committee.
Lawmakers present at the meeting included Jubreel Abdulkareem, Olayinka Kazeem, Samuel Apata, Sobur Oluwa and Bonu Solomon.
NAN
