Edo State House of Assembly has removed the chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Patrick Aguinede, after a report transmitted to it by the investigation committee and panel of enquiry set up by the state governor, Godwin Obaseki.
He was removed on grounds of under-remitting revenue collected as IGR for the council and converting same for his personal use.
Other factors include gross abuse of office, attempt to mislead the panel by presenting fake and concocted figures from a document which he refused to release to the panel.
The statement signed by the speaker, Hon. Frank Okiye, said in the course of investigation, the panel received a copy of a petition wherein the legislative arm of Esan West Local Government Council passed a vote of no confidence on the suspended Chairman based on the following: He was also said to have failed to account for the whereabouts of the proceeds from the sales of motor-bike riders reflective jackets.
Aguinede was said to have carried out grading of roads in the ten wards without following due process even as he gave ed out the contract to unregistered contractors.
In the course of investigation the statement added the acting Chairmain, Hon. Ruth Osahon who assumed duty on 7th October 2019, after the suspension of Hon. Patrick Aguinede generated the sum of 9,000,000.00 between 7th & 30th October while operating on the same revenue generating structure of the council.
“In the month of November 2019 under the supervision of the acting Chairmain, Hon. Ruth Osahon, the council realized #10,472,300 million. This again is an overwhelming confirmation of the under remittance of IGR by the suspended Chairman. During the Revenue retreat meeting held on Tuesday,10th September,2019, wherein Hon. Patrick Aguinede declared the sum of 4,000,000.00 million, the sudden increase to 7,600,000million in the month of September 2019, is a confirmation of the under remittance which is patently a frudulent act of the suspended Chairman Hon. Patrick Aguinede.” the statement said
The panel is convinced after the perusal of various documents in respect of revenue generation in the council, that the Council can conveniently generate not less than 10,000,000 monthly as IGR.
In another development, the Hon. Speaker Rt. Hon. Frank Okiye, has summoned the Chairman Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) and the commissioner for finance to appear in speakers office before the Executive session of the House on the 6th January 2020.
