Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has suspended the Chairman of Etsako East Local Government Council, Alhaji Aremiyau Momoh, from office for a period of two months over allegations of misappropriation of funds and low revenue generation.
Recall that the Governor had also last month suspended the Chairman of Etsako West local government, Mr. Yakson Musa, from office over alleged fraud in salary payment to ghost workers.
The suspension of Momoh was said to be a fallout of a petition signed by 10 councillors in which they levelled several allegations of fraud against him.
Some the allegations were that the suspended council boss claimed to have spent seven million naira on Sallah gifts as against two million naira that was spent and failure to remit N67m collected from trucks loading cement from BUA Cement Company in Okpella.
The embattled Chairman was also alleged to have spent N10m on empowerment, N36m for grading of roads, eight million naira for security during cult clashes and N16m for Christmas gifts.
Alhaji Momoh who confirmed his suspension from office, however said he was not aware of the reasons for the action until he is invited by the investigating panel.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Monday Osaigbovo, has said the suspension was to create room for proper investigation into allegations levelled against the Chairman.
He said a contractor petitioned that the suspended Chairman demanded kickback for a contract, adding that many others also wrote petitions against the Council Chairman.