Edo State House of Assembly on Monday suspended the chairman of Esan West Local Government Council, Patrick Aguinede over alleged unremitted Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the coffers of the state government.
Frank Okiye, speaker of the House, announced the suspension at an emergency plenary session yesterday.
Okiye said the suspension was sequel to the consideration of the report of the panel of enquiry constituted by the state Governor Godwin Obaseki to investigate allegations of fraud levelled against the chairman.
It was learnt that the report of the panel of enquiry was forwarded to the house by the governor yesterday.
He alleged that the report indicted the council chairman of presenting fake figures to the panel.
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He explained that the panel also found the chairman wanting for under remitting the council’s IGR into the state government coffers.
According to him, the panel found out that the chairman was remitting N4.5 million while within the period he was suspended, the council remitted N7.6 million to the coffer of the state government.
“The report, however, noted that the Acting Chairman of the council, between October 7 and October 30 remitted N9.1 million IGR to the state government.
“The report stated that the difference in the amount generated in the council revealed that Aguinede was under remitting the council IGR.
“The panel therefore recommended that the chairman be removed from office having been found culpable of the allegations,” he said.
He however, directed that clean copies of the resolution be sent to the governor for ratification.
The house, however summoned the chairman of the the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), lgbinidu Inneh and the commissioner for Finance, Joseph Eboigbe to appear before the House committee of selection on January 6, 2020.
