Legislative sector in Ondo State starved of funds for 10 years – Lawmakers

Ondo State House of Assembly building is in a terrible state as it has been run down over the years. The lawmakers claim that in the last 10 years the legislative sector has been starved of funds by the executive.

According to the lawmakers in a communiqué issued after a parliamentary meeting held at the Speaker’s Lodge, Alagbaka, Akure, the Ondo State capital on Tuesday, claimed that the current governor of the state, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, as well as his predecessor never paid attention to the deteriorating infrastructure of the assembly complex.

The lawmakers also maintained that the Ondo Assembly complex remains the worst in the country due to its infrastructural decay.

Recall that the lawmakers had raised an alarm last week over the disruption of plenary following the alleged invasion of the hallowed chamber by snakes. The situation led to the indefinite adjournment of the assembly’s plenary.

The lawmakers also frowned at the media team of the governor for allegedly doctoring the video recording of his visit to the house.

The parliamentary meeting was presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oloyeloogun, while the communique was read by Honor. Success Torukerijo, the lawmaker, representing Ese Odo State Constituency.

“We want to restate and reaffirm that on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, a snake fell from the ceiling into the chamber of the Assembly. On Thursday, July 25, 2019, part of the ceiling caved in and fell into the chamber, preventing us from holding a scheduled meeting inside the chamber.

“We take exception to the doctored video released from the media office of the governor as it did not reflect what transpired when the governor visited the Assembly on Friday, July 26, 2019, and we will not want to join issue by releasing the original version of the tape.

“We reiterate the constitutional status of the legislature as an independent arm of government which, therefore, deserve to be accorded as such.

“We want to state without any equivocation that no fund has been released to the Assembly for the capital projects in the last five years, in spite of the yearly budgetary provision and there has not been any cash-backing for the renovation of the Assembly for the past 10 years.

“It is pitiable that the Ondo State House of Assembly is the worst in terms of infrastructure in the whole country. It will also interest the public to know that the office of the speaker and the deputy speaker have no official cars.”

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