Ondo State Government has constituted an account allocation committee for the legislature and judiciary.
The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Sir Charles Titiloye, ksm, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
According to the statement: “In line with section 121 (3) (a & b) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) giving Financial autonomy to the Legislative and Judicial Arm of Government in the state and in accordance with section 14(1) of Ondo State Legislative Fund Management Law 2021, the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN on the 31st day of December, 2021, constituted Ondo State Account Allocation Committee (SAAC).”
Members of the committee are drawn from the following statutory representatives of the three arms of Government in the state:
- Commissioner for Finance;
- Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning;
- Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice;
- Chief Registrar of Ondo State High Court;
- Chief Registrar of Ondo State Customary Court of Appeal;
- Secretary, Ondo State Judicial Service Commission;
- Hon. Jamiu Sulaiman Maito, Member representing Ondo State House of Assembly;
- Hon. Olamide Olajide Adesanmi, Member representing Ondo State House of Assembly; and
- Clerk, Ondo State House of Assembly.
The chairman and secretary of the committee are yet to be named.
Titiloye’s statement added that: “The State Account Allocation Committee (SAAC) is to ensure compliance with section 121 (3) (a & b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) to the effect that the amounts standing to the credit of:
(a) Ondo State House of Assembly,
(b) Ondo State Judiciary,
in the consolidated revenue fund of the state are promptly allocated and paid to the bodies in the House of Assembly and in case of the Judiciary, directly to the heads of the Courts concerned towards the implementation of 2022 budget.”
Akeredolu had on September 7 last year, signed into law the bills for the financial autonomy of the judiciary and the legislature in the state.
He also signed into law the bill for the establishment of the Ondo State House of Assembly Service Commission.
While jointly addressing journalists after the event, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, and Titiloye had explained that the bills signed into law by the Governor were to provide for the management of funds accruing to the state judiciary, otherwise known as Judicial autonomy, and the bill for a law to provide for the management of the funds of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
They had said the new laws would promote independence, efficiency, transparency and accountability in both the Judiciary and Legislative arms of the government of the state, adding that the principle of separation of powers provided for by the Nigerian Constitution would also be enhanced.
According to them, the new laws have provided financial backing for the two arms of the government to see to the distribution and management of funds allocated to them under the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“These new laws are for the management of funds of Ondo State Judiciary and House of Assembly as separate arm of government and it also provides for the establishment of the House of Assembly Service Commission. It means that these arms of government will be able to have their funds and distribute them.
“They will have the adequate financial strength to do their jobs effectively. The House of Assembly by the new law establishing the service commission now has the power to appoint, promote, engage and disengage its workers.
“There will be a committee set up under the new law where funds will be distributed for the three arms of government. The Judiciary and Legislative arms of government have also been empowered by these laws to distribute and manage funds allocated to them.
“The Speaker is head of the fund management committee for the legislature while in the judiciary, the Chief Judge is the head of the fund management,” the Attorney General hadsaid.
The laws have effectively addressed the agitation of the two arms government for financial autonomy.
Akeredolu signs judicial, legislature autonomy bills into lawPublished on September 7, 2021By Abdul Babajide
