Osun State sets up assets recovery panel

Osun State sets up assets recovery panel

The Osun State Government has set up an Assets Recovery Panel to recover stolen assets of the state by officers of previous administration of Adegboyega Oyetola.

Olawale Rasheed, the Spokesman for Gov. Ademola Adeleke, said the state government constituted the panel to recover government’s property in the hands of private individuals, including ex-government officials who served in the previous administration.

Rasheed alleged, in a statement in Osogbo, on Friday that some former officials of the state went away with various models of vehicles illegally.

The statement quoted the Chairman of the Assets Recovery Committee, Dr Bashiru Salami, as saying that: “As of today, there is no law that authorised any elected or appointed officials to go with state’s vehicles after completing their tenure of office.

“Due diligence has been conducted and the committee has concluded that the affected past officials should return government’s vehicles in their possession.

“This is the first batch of vehicles to be retrieved. We will soon come up with the second batch. All affected officials should return vehicles in their possession immediately to avoid coercive procedures for recovery of state’s assets.

“In the list of affected officials, Governor Oyetola, alone has 11 vehicles ranging from Lexus Jeep, Toyota Prado jeeps and assorted models of costly vehicles.

“The wife, Mrs Kafayat, also has in her possession several brands of government vehicles which were taken away against the provisions of the law.

“Other former officials listed include immediate past special adviser on security, former chief details, former personal assistant to the governor, former special assistants to the governor, former senior special assistants, former special advisers, former local government caretaker chairmen and members, former board chairmen and members, former chief of staff, former deputy chief of staff, former deputy governor, former secretary to the state government and former commissioners, among others.

“The former deputy governor has more than seven government’s vehicles in his custody contrary to the provisions of the law.

“A serving Senator, Oriolowo, is also directed to return to the Osun State Agricultural Development Programme five machines, namely motor grader, bulldozer, and soil compactor machine, among others,” it said. (www.amatropics.com)