…Steps Down Reading Of Supplementary Bill
Sam Philip
Ondo State House of Assembly has on Thursday threatened to issue a bench was on the state Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Omowumi Isaac if she failed to honour the invitation of the Assembly on thursday next week.
The Assembly handed down the threat in reaction to the failure of the Commissioner to honour the invitation of the Assembly that she should appear before it today(Thursday) to brief the Assembly on the performance of the 2024 Appropriation law and explain some grey areas in the Supplementary Bill presented before it by the commissioner.
At the plenary, the Assembly decided to step down the 2024 Supplementary Bill for non appearance of the commissioner before it.
On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the Assembly had written a letter to the Commissioner, inviting her to appear before it to answer some questions on the Supplementary Bill.
But the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, A.O. Akinsemoyin had replied the Assembly saying the commissioner could not appear before Assembly on Thursday because she’s on state assignment and would come before the Assembly when she returns.
Akinsemoyin was silent on where the commissioner went and when she would return.
When the lawmakers discovered that it the Permanent Secretary that wrote the letter, the were furious, describing the decision of the commissioner not to honour their invitation. As an affront to the people of the state and the Assembly.
At the plenary, the lawmakers shot down the request by the Speaker of the Assembly, Olamide Oladiji that the second reading of the Supplementary Bill be commenced because the state Commissioner for Finance , Mrs. Omowumi Isaac failed to appear before the House as requested.
The lawmaker representing Akure 1 at the Assembly, Oguntodu Olajiide said it would be a disservice to the people of the state to continue with the reading of the Supplementary Bill when the commissioner has not explained the grey areas of the Bill and give information on the performance of the existing 2024 Appropriation law.
The Speaker, therefore, ordered the Clerk of the Assembly, Benjamin Jaiyeola, to read a letter received from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in reply to the invitation letter addressed to the commissioner by the Assembly.
Reading the letter dated October 9, 2024 on the floor of the Assembly, the clerk informed the House that the commissioner would not be able to honour the invite today(Thursday) because she was away on a state assignment.
The letter stated that the commissioner would appear before the House as soon as she returns.
Reacting to the letter, Chris Ogunlami(Okitipupa 2) condemned the affront by the commissioner to the people of the state and the House for ignoring the summon and failed to write the letter to the House by herself.
He, therefore, said the House could not proceed with the second reading of the Supplementary Bill because the commissioner has failed to appear to give the feedback on the performance of the existing 2024 Appropriation law and answer questions on the grey areas in the Supplementary Bill.
He, therefore, moved that the reading of the Supplementary Bill be stepped down.
Olayemi Fayemi(Ilaje 2) simply told the House that “We cannot go to the second reading of the Supplementary Bill if some technical parts are not explained.
The Commissioner for Finance should tell us why the Supplementary Budget is needed.”
The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji therefore ruled that the second reading of the Supplementary Bill is stepped down.
He, therefore, ordered the Clerk of the House, Benjamin Jaiyeola to write another letter to the state Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowumi Isaac summoning her to appear before the House on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
The House noted that it has power to issue bench warrant on the Commissioner if she failed to appear before the House.