Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Acting Governor of Ondo State, has taken a decisive step by freezing the accounts of all 18 local government areas and 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state, few days after he assumed the power of a governor on acting capacity.
Reports indicate that the acting governor has also instructed the newly formed LCDA not to initiate new accounts.
In a letter addressed to the local councils, the directive stated, “Distinguished HOLGAs, Your Excellency the Acting Governor of Ondo State had directed that all spending/ expenditure from local government account should be suspended. No signing of cheques, no change of signatories, no withdrawal of any sort until further directive.
“Please adhere strictly to instruction and be guided.”
Expressing concern over this development, one of the caretaker chairpersons, speaking anonymously to Vanguard, described the move as troubling.
“Yes, he has blocked the accounts of the local governments. We don’t know why he’s doing that now,” the official revealed.
Moreover, the acting governor has assigned responsibility for the preparation and signing of his official engagements to his Deputy Chief of Staff, Omojuwa Olusegun, temporarily.
In a letter penned by Omojuwa and directed to members of the State Executive Council and other high-ranking government officials, it was communicated, “The Acting Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has directed me to inform all members of the State Executive Council and Top Government Functionaries that the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor would be responsible for the preparation and signing of his official engagements for the time being.
“The Chief of Protocol would take charge of this responsibility as soon as Mr. Governor resumes from his medical vacation.”
