Ambode’s Problems Worsen As Lagos Assembly Initiates Probe

By Editor

The troubles of the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode worsened on Tuesday after the Lagos State House of Assembly constituted a panel to investigate his administration’s purchase of 820 buses against the express orders of the House.

A motion to investigate all the processes involved in the purchase and recommend appropriate sanctions was moved Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2) and adopted by the House.

The buses were commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari during his visit to Lagos last April. However, the buses are yet to come into service despite the commissioning.

Tabling his motion, Yishawu alleged that despite repeated rejection of the item in the 2018 and 2019 budgets of the state, that Governor Ambode proceeded to procure the buses many of which are still lying in the ports yet to be cleared.

In a motion, titled; “Lagos State House of Assembly Motion Number 2,” Yishawu said:

“In the 2018 and 2019 budgets, the state government proposed N24 Billion and N7 Billion respectively, but these were not approved. The state government still went ahead to import 820 buses at N7 Billion, and out of them 520 are still awaiting clearance at the ports,”  he said.

“The state government requested waivers for the importation of the buses and it was not granted.

‘The value of the buses were overrated. Some of the buses are still in the ports and they are attracting demurrage. N45 Billion would be spent on the total purchase of the buses and we need to prevent such an occurrence in the future,” he added.

While giving heed to the motion

following moderation from Speaker Mudahiru Obasa, However, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, in his submission, stated that the House needed to prevent waste because the expenditure had been done, adding “the vehicles are in the ports and they have been there for almost a year. 

“The state will continue to suffer if we allow the buses to stay in the ports. We should be the regulators of transporters, the state should not operate the buses. How much are we giving the buses out should be addressed. We should get the buses to the roads and save the state from further wastages,” he said.

The Assembly, subsequently, set up a committee headed by Hon. Fatal Mojeed, (Ibeju Lekki 1) to conduct the investigation.

Other members of the committee are Gbolahan Yishawu, Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho 1), Olanrewaju Afinni (Lagos Island 2), Rasheed Makinde (Ifako Ijaiye 2), Yinka Ogundimu (Agege 2), Temitope Adewale (Ifako-Ijaiye 1), Mojisola Miranda (Apapa 1).

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