The Ondo State House of Assembly has warned officials in the state’s 18 local government areas against diverting internally generated revenue (IGR) or depositing public funds into personal accounts.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Moyinolorun Ogunwumiju, gave the warning on Monday in Akure during a three-day public hearing on audited accounts for 2023 and 2024.

He directed the councils to ensure that all IGR was properly accounted for and paid into designated government accounts, in line with established financial regulations and due process.

Mr Ogunwumiju said the assembly would not encourage any illegal act in collecting and managing government revenue.

“We are protectors of revenue and income in Ondo State. We won’t encourage acts of illegality. There must be due process,” he said.

He said the committee was committed to protecting the state’s revenue and income and ensuring that all funds accruing to local governments were properly documented and accounted for.

Mr Ogunwumiju directed relevant authorities, particularly the Office of the Auditor-General for Local Governments, to take necessary steps to safeguard public accounts and ensure compliance with financial regulations.

He also cautioned officials against actions that could undermine the committee’s work, saying scrutiny of public accounts is a constitutional responsibility aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency.

He said the hearing aligned with Section 125(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, and was designed to address outstanding audit queries.

The committee chairman said that the exercise was also designed to resolve identified financial irregularities and improve financial management at the grassroots, particularly in revenue collection, documentation and remittances.

He urged the local governments to cooperate with the committee and use the exercise to correct identified lapses, particularly those relating to revenue collection, documentation and remittances.

Mr Ogunwumiju commended the state Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his commitment to accountability and for providing the committee with the necessary independence to discharge its legislative responsibilities.

He also commended the Speaker of the House, Chief Olamide Oladiji, for his support to the various committees in carrying out their oversight functions.

The Auditor-General for Local Governments, Charles Ojuolape, said the audit exercise was constitutionally required to ensure that local government financial activities underwent independent scrutiny.

Mr Ojuolape urged the councils to comply with recommendations contained in the audit reports, particularly those relating to proper revenue documentation and the signing of financial documents.

Six local governments appeared before the committee to respond to queries raised in their respective audit reports.

(NAN)