Ondo suspends local council caretaker committees over pending court cases

Ibrahim Bununu

The newly appointed Caretaker Committee Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen for Local Councils and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Ondo State have been suspended by the state government.

Following the suspension of the affected 33 caretaker committee members, the government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, instructed the Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGAs) to immediately take over the affairs of the councils.

In a circular signed by Adewale Alonge for the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the government said the decision to suspend the caretaker committees was hinged on the pending legal cases over their appointments.

According to the circular, the HOLGAs were directed to take possession of all government property with the suspended caretaker chairmen and vice chairmen.

“It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs that despite the suspension of all recently appointed Caretaker Committee members for Local Government (LGAS) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAS) in the state by a Court of competent jurisdiction, some individuals in these former positions are still parading themselves in those posts.

“Consequently, I have been directed to request the Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGAs) in all the LGAs and LCDAs to immediately assume responsibility as heads of their respective local government areas and LCDAs in acting capacity pending the resolution of all legal matters relating to this subject.

“Furthermore, I have also been asked to request all HOLGAs to retrieve without delay all assets and properties of the LGAs and LCDAs with these former caretaker chairmen, vice chairmen, and other members and to safely keep them within their respective local government areas and local council development areas.”

The caretaker committee members were appointed last year prior to the demise of the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, after which court cases were instituted against the appointments.

TheGuardian