The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday, May 7, 2020 asked Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to account for expenses incurred from donations received in support of the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
At the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, the House asked Sanwo-Olu to introduce a co-chairman from the executive arm to represent state’s COVID-19 Incident Commander before the House.
Obasa said: “It is our own duty to do what is right.
“The law says the executive will come forward to give account on what they have expended.”
Member representing Mushin Constituency II, Olayiwola Abdul-Sobur, maintained that the donations and grants accrued to the state government should be domiciled in the Consolidated Revenue Funds and the executive must be reminded that no money should be withdrawn from any public funds without the authorisation of the House.
“There should be transparency and trustworthiness on the part of the executive and they should be mindful of the funds which are donations and grants that are not budgeted for,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman House Committee on Health Services, Mr Akeem Shokunle, urged the governor to be mindful that the funds referred to were neither budgeted for nor in the consolidated fund or development fund.
He said that the House would ensure proper accountability of the donations and grants in accordance with the law.
In a related development, the Lagos government said that 48 coronavirus patients were discharged from four isolation facilities on Thursday, after testing negative twice for the virus.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said, on his verified Twitter handle, that those discharged were all Nigerians, comprising 32 males and 16 females.
Sanwo-Olu said that with this new development, the number of patients that had been successfully managed and discharged in Lagos stood at 406.
“Dear Lagosians, we will continue to celebrate and acknowledge our wins, as well as reflect on our losses.
“These will help us stay on course, prevent us from being distracted, help us stay focused as we face this pandemic head-on.
“Therefore, I’m pleased to announce to you the discharge of 48 more patients; 32 males and 16 females, all Nigerians who were discharged from our Yaba, Lekki, Onikan and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) isolation facilities to reunite with the society.
“The patients, 28 from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, six from Lekki, one from Onikan and 13 from LUTH Isolation Centres were discharged having fully recovered and tested negative to COVID-19 in two consecutive readings.
“With this new development, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases that have been successfully managed and discharged in Lagos stands at 406,’’ the governor said.
The COVID-19 “Incident Commander” said that there was the need for all Lagosians to also be careful, remain guarded and show commitment and cooperation with authorities as “all residents are in the fight together’’.
“Our wins are your wins, our losses, your losses,’’ he said.
By Adekunle Williams and Florence Onuegbu
