For the Lagos State House of assembly, 2011 has been a period defined by activist legislation, internal challenges and more. LEADERSHIP SUNDAY’s TAIWO OGUNMOLA captures the key highlights.
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The year 2011 has been laden with events and thought provoking issues in the Lagos State House of Assembly. Unlike other legislative arms in the country, the Assembly has remarkable tales to tell as the year comes to an end. The general election ushered both the new and old lawmakers into the 7th Assembly. The House ushered in 18 new members from various constituencies, while Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji retained his seat as the speaker. Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has 40 members in the House without any opposition. Hon. Taiwo Kolawole emerged as the Deputy Speaker of the House while Hon. Ajibayo Adeyeye became the leader of the House.
Besides the inauguration of new lawmakers and the returnees, on Friday August 5, the Lagos State House of Assembly passed a law to regulate rights and obligations under tenancy agreements and the relationship between the landlords and the tenants including the procedure for the recovery of premises and for other connected purposes.?
The bill was earlier passed by the House and was later returned for amendment, after some grey areas were discovered by the executive arm who felt the interest of both parties needed to be protected. Since the amendment was done and passed into law, there have been several arguments in different quarters as to whether the law will be effective? at all. Many have also wondered if the state government will ensure the implementation of a law, which many believe will favour the tenant the most.
From the contents of the law, any landlord in Lagos State who collects rent in excess of one year from a new tenant is liable of punishment by the state government as such action would henceforth be seen as a criminal offence, which will either attract jail term or payment of fine. Apart from the tenancy law, lawmakers also approved year 2011 re-ordering budget.
The House, in the period under review, was saddled with the duty of re-ordering from Capital Expenditure the sum of N15.6billion while N6.5billion was re-ordered from Recurrent Expenditure.
The re-ordering however did not alter the N450.775billion approved originally by the House earlier in the year. The House re-ordered un-utilised funds from some specific Heads to the more needy areas for efficient performance.
The committee said the re-ordering became inevitable because some Ministries, Departments, and donor agencies would not be able to access funds for one reason or the other before the year runs out, hence their funds could be utilized for meaningful developments in the state. The essence of re-ordering is to redistribute un-utilised funds to other areas of critical need so as to engender optimum budget performance in the state.
After the approval of budget re-ordering, the House proceeded to screen the 13 commissioners and Special advisers sent by Governor Babatunde Fashola. Before the screening, the lawmakers went on break before terminating the holiday to attend the screening of the commissioners.
The Speaker said at the commencement of the screening that it is a constitutional requirement for those who would work as members of the executive with the governor to be screened by the House. “It’s a constitutional provision. We will do our best to ensure that only those who have values to add are allowed to work with the governor,” he pledged. Lawmakers took turns to ask each of the nominees questions on their background, profession, values intended to add to the development of the state among other issues.
Those screened were Mr. Tokunbo Abiru, Dr. Folami Oladiran, Mrs. Disu Aderinsola, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule, Dr. (Mrs.) Yewande Adesina, Mr. Oluwatoyin Ayinde, Dr. Wale HammedOthers were Mr. Ben Akabueze, Jimoh Ajao, Dolapo Badru, Tunji Bello, Oyinlomo Danmole and Ayo Gbeleyi, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat, Holloway Oladisun, Humpe Babatunde, Jide Idris, Aderemi Ibirogba, Bosun Jeje, Ganiyu Johnson, Gbolahan Lawal, Adebiyi Mabadeje, Mrs. Florence Oguntuase, Ade Ipaye and Ademorin Kuye among others. Apart from this, another event that took place in the Assembly was the presentation of 2012 budget by Governor Babatunde Fashola in November. The budget proposed to the House is N485.292 billion.
The budget, which is expected to revamp and boost economic prosperity of the state, comprises N227.47 billion recurrent expenditure and N257.821 billion capital expenditure. The capital to recurrent ratio of the budget is 53:47 as against the 56:44 in 2011.The budget also represents an increase of N40 billion over the 2011 budget, which stood at N445.18 billion. The deficit-financing requirement proposed in the budget is N59.781bn, which is 1.19 per cent of the State’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP. The total revenue is N399.834 billion and comprises Ordinary Revenue, N289.676 billion and Federal Transfers of N110.158 billion.
The components of the total overhead costs of N145.960 billion are: Overhead cost, N79.797billion; Dedication Expenditure, N25.595 billion; Subvention, N28.668 billion, Staff Housing Fund, N0.050 billion; Debt charge (External), N1.050 billion; Debt charge (Internal), N6.958 billion and Debt Charge (Bond), N3.842 billion.
Capital receipts for the year 2012 budget is put at N25.677billion and is made up of: Grants, N3.468billion; Investment Income, N0.289 billion and other Capital Receipts, N21.920 billion, while the capital expenditure of N257.821billion consists of: Core Capital, N222.868 billion; Capital Development (Dedicated), N21.920 billion; Grants, N3.468 billion; Counterpart Funding, N3.465 billion, Special Expenditure N6 billion and Risk Retention Fund, N0.100 billion.
The sector allocation of the budget in size and percentage are as follows: General Public Service, N108.526 billion (22.4 per cent); Public Order and Safety, N13.849billion (2.9 per cent); Economic Affairs, N154.419billion (31.8 per cent); Environmental Protection, N44.227 (9.1 per cent); Housing and Community Amenities, N42.812 billion (8.8 per cent); Health, N39.754 billion (8.2 per cent); Recreation, Culture and Religion, N5.989billion (1.2 per cent); Education, N72.346 billion (14.9 per cent) and Social Protection, N3.370 billion (0.7 per cent). The budget is presently at committee stage for MDAs to defend the proposals.
Also, six months after the inauguration of the 7th Assembly, the House inaugurated its standing committees with 21 committees in all.
The inauguration of the standing committees had been delayed till now, due to rancor among the members as to who chairs the juicy committees. Eventually, Speaker of the House, Adeyemi Ikuforiji announced the names of Chairmen of each of the committees.
As announced by Ikuforiji, Chairmen of the committees are as follows: House Services and Special Duties Committee is chaired by Ipoola Omisore from Ifako-Ijaiye 2; Public Account (State) is chaired by Yussuf Ayinla from Mushin Constituency 2; Public Account (Local Government), Saka Fafunmi from Ifako-Ijaiye 1 Constituency.
Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ibrahim Layode from Badagry 1 Constituency; Local Government Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs, Olanrewaju Oshun from Lagos Mainland 2 Constituency; Budget and Economic Planning, Mudashiru Obasa from Agege 1 Constituency.
Education,? Science and Technology, Wahab Alawiye from Lagos Island 2 Constituency; Environment, Abiodun Tobun (Epe 1 Constituency); Establishment and Training, Omowunmi Olatunji-Edet (Oshodi-Isolo 2 Constituency); Finance, Adefunmilayo Tejuoso ( Mushin 1).
Health Services Committee is chaired by Hodewu Avoseh (Badagry 2); Home Affairs, Culture, Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations, Kabir Lawal (Surulere 1); Youth Sports and Social Development, Babatunde Ayeni (Oshodi-Isolo 1); Judiciary, Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu 1).
Lands and Housing, Bayo Oshinowo (Kosofe 1); Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mufutau Egberongbe (Apapa 1); Transportation, Commerce and Industry, Bisi Yusuf (Alimosho 1); Women Affairs, Omotayo Oduntan (Alimosho 2); Works and Infrastructure, Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu 1); Energy, Mineral Resources and Waterfront Infrastructure, Lanre Ogunyemi (Ojo 2); Information, Strategy and Public Relations, Segun Olulade (Epe 2).
The lawmakers, precisely on August 29, honoured the Permanent Secretary/ Clerk of the House, Mr. Taiwo Olatunji who retired after 37 years of service. Members showered encomiums on the Clerk, nicknamed as ‘World Clerk’. However, the House also set up committees on Badagry crisis and on the increment of Lagos State University (LASU’s fund allocations).
The Assembly was in the news in a year when some group alleged that the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji misappropriated N7billion. This led to his invitation by Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to Abuja. Shortly after the invitation, EFCC also summoned the principal officers of the House to hear their own sides of the story while they carted away some documents in the accounting department to back their findings. Thereafter, counsel to EFCC, Mr. Godwin Obla issued bench warrant for the arrest of the speaker.
But he had to vacate it after entertaining the submission of Ikuforiji’s lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), who explained that the Speaker was actually not aware of the proceedings which gave birth to the bench warrant. Oyetibo told the court of the pending application before the court challenging the said bench warrant. He also drew the attention of the court to the presence of Ikuforiji and Atoyebi in court, stating that the accused came to court on their own.
He said as shown in the processes, the accused were never served with any summons to appear in court, stressing that: “The purpose of bench warrant is to compel their appearance, but since they have come to court on their own, our proposal is that we are prepared to withdraw our motion against the order, while the accused will report to the Lagos office of the EFCC on Monday (December 19).” Indeed, Ikuforiji appeared before EFCC on the stated date. The senior advocate assured that the accused would not only report to the EFCC office but appear before the court on January 17, 2012, which the court had earlier fixed for their arraignment.
He then applied that the bench warrant should be vacated, saying that the accused are honourable men, who have no reason to run away from trial. As the year comes to a close there seems to be no respite for the embattled Speaker, as the EFCC has not come out to say he has no case to answer.