In response to its earlier directive that government agencies provide it with the most recent information regarding the state’s debt as soon as possible, the Osun State House of Assembly on Wednesday established a committee to investigate the debt profile.
A 10-person ad hoc committee was established by the Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, during a plenary session to conduct a detailed examination of the state’s precise debt profile.
According to a statement made by Owoeye’s media assistant Kunle Alabi, the House of Assembly’s figure differs from that provided by the executive branch of government.
The statement reads, “The committee is chaired by the Speaker, co-chaired by Gbenga Ogunkanmi and Adebayo Olodo of the Finance and Appropriations Committee and the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Account.
The Minority Leader Kofo Adewunmi, Tunde Olatunji, Michael Adetoyi, Babatunde Ibirogba, Lateef Adebisi, Babatunde Komolafe, Adiru Abefe, and the Clerk Simeon Amusan as the Secretary are the other members of the committee.
In his remarks at the committee’s inauguration, the Speaker warned that if the situation wasn’t handled carefully, it might have an impact on investors and anyone looking to do business with the government.
Invoking Sections 128 and 129, the Speaker stated, “A House of Assembly or a committee formed in accordance with Section 103 of this Constitution shall have power to, for the purposes of any investigation under Section 128 of this Constitution and subject to the conditions thereof.
“(a) obtain all relevant information, whether it be written, oral, direct, or circumstantial, and call all witnesses who may have information that is important or pertinent to the topic;
The Speaker highlighted that “the House of Assembly is the only institution that can put this to rest; government is continuous; this process will be transparent; that is why we have coopted the Minority leader onto the committee.”
Recall that on Friday, December 16, 2022, the Osun State House of Assembly voiced worry over the responses after the revelation of the state’s debt profile by Senator Ademola Adeleke, the governor of the state.
The House highlighted that it had a responsibility as the authorized representatives of the people to seek clarifications and notify the state’s citizens accordingly in a statement by Kunle Akande, the chairman of the House Committee on Information and Publicity.
The House’s remark was in response to the governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, saying before the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers the day before that the state owed Adegboyega Oyetola’s former administration N407.32 billion in debt.
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