Osun State Government reaffirmed on Tuesday that any properties deemed to have been illegally carted away by the immediate past administration’s political appointees will be recovered by the present administration in the state.
The secretary to the state government, Mr. Teslim Igbalaye, who made this known at a press conference in Osogbo, said the assets committee set up and saddled with the recovery assignment by the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, is not meant to witch-hunt anyone.
He, however, dismissed the claim of the major opposition party, APC, in the state that the asset recovery committee saddled with the duties of recovering stolen government properties was vindictive and targeted at the opposition.
According to him, The Task Force on Recovery of Assets of Government properties has done their job and efforts are on to recover all alleged stolen vehicles and other Government properties by former political appointees.”
“The Executive Governor of Osun State, during the inauguration of the Task Force on Recovery of Assets and Government Project Vehicles on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, charged members of the Task Force to ensure immediate recovery of government assets and project vehicles that were illegally carted away by the officials of the immediate past administration.”
“At its meeting held on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the Task Force observed that due diligence should be done with a view to ascertaining vehicles and assets that were lawfully permissible to be taken home from those illegally taken away;
“That the Executive Governor had the prerogative power to allow any political appointee go home with his/her official vehicle, having served for at least a period of two (2) years and payment of some amount of money into the coffers of the government, and if the vehicle was less than four (4) years old, the appointee would pay 10% of the residual value of such official vehicles
“That the approval granted by the immediate past Executive Governor for the release and eventual ownership of the official vehicles (Kia cars) allocated to members of the immediate past Osun State Executive Council followed due process; and
“That the letter of permission written by the immediate past Head of Service, directing political appointees of the immediate past administration to go home with the official vehicles allocated to them, was, however, illegal.
Igbalaye said after review by a special committee headed by Mr Governor, with a view to ensuring due process, in-depth consideration, and compliance with the rule of law.
The secretary to the state government maintained that the State Executive Council considered the white paper reports of different committees constituted by the Osun State Government to investigate issues raised by the executive orders issued by Mr Governor after his inauguration as the Executive Governor of the state
According to SSG, among the white paper reports considered and approved by the State Executive Council were those of the committees on chieftaincy matters, assets recovery and auditing, contracts and appointments, among others.
He stressed that the Task Force on Recovery of Assets of Government Properties has done their job and that efforts were on to recover all alleged stolen vehicles and other Government properties by former political appointees.
Igbalaye, thereafter, remarked that all government assets and vehicles that are hitherto in the possession of the political appointees of the immediate past administration and that are not captured in the express provisions of the paragraphs must be recovered, saying that all efforts are geared towards ensuring that nothing is followed due process.
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