By Michael Adesanya/ Abeokuta
The Ogun State House of Assembly on Wednesday summoned the State Commissioner for Health and her Special Duties counterpart, Dr. Tomi Coker and Mr Femi Ogunbanwo respectively to appear before the House on Friday over COVID -19 activities in the state.
Mr Yusuf Sherif (APC – Ado Odo Ota 1) , the Majority Leader moved the motion for the summon during plenary, while it was seconded by Adegoke Adeyanju ( ADC – Egbado North 1 ), Chairman, House Committee on Health.
Mr Olakunle Oluomo (APC–Ifo1 ), the Speaker, said that the two commissioners should appear to brief the House on the efforts of state government so far in reducing the spread of coronavirus.
Oluomo explained that they should also explain to the House on how government palliatives which was to cushion the effect of the lockdown were being distributed.
He noted that the House requires more information on the activities of the state government concerning COVID -19.
Speaking earlier, Adeyanju commended Gov. Dapo Abiodun for the job done so far to curtail the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the state.
The chairman, house committee on health explained that the state had witnessed 127 confirmed cases of COVID -19, 74 active, 48 discharged and five deaths.
Also during plenary, the speaker read the governor’s letter requesting for the extension of the 20 Local Government Transition Committees tenure for another three months.
According to the letter, which was dated April 13, the tenure of the present local government transition committee expired on April 17.
“Considering the fact that local government elections have not been scheduled due to prevailing circumstances, it has become expedient to request for the extension of the tenure of the committee to avert creation of vacuum in local government administration, ” the governor said.
The Speaker, however, ordered the LG transition committees to appear before the House on Monday to enable the House take action on the extension of their tenure.
Abiodun has written the State House of Assembly for the lawmakers’s consent to extend the tenure of the Local Government Transition Chairmen.
Abiodun is desirous of enlongating the Transaction Chairmen’s tenure by another three months, their initial tenure having lapsed as of April 17, 2020.
The Governor premised his request for the tenure extension on the prevailing circumstance foisted on humanity by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had made this period inauspicious for scheduling conducting Local Government elections.
“As you may be aware, the tenure of the present Local Government Transition Committees expires on 17th April, 2020. Considering the fact that Local Government elections have not been scheduled due yo prevailing circumstances, it has become expedient to request for the extension of the tenure of the Transition Committees to avert the creation of a vacuum in Local Government Administration
“Arising from the forgoing, I write to request that the tenure of the Local Government Transition Committees to be extended for another period of 3 months, effective 18th April, 2020,” Abiodun stated in his correspondence dated 13th April, 2020.
Oluomo, who acknowledged and read the letter before the lawmakers, said the request for the extension became expedient to avert a vacuum in Local Government administration.
Consequently, the Speaker directed the council chairmen to forward their performance reports since assumption of office to the Assembly on or before Monday, 18th, May 2020.