The Committee set up by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to investigate the unauthorized journey to Italy by the Chairman, Vice Chairman and entire Councillors of Orhiomwon Local Government Area yesterday submitted a 3-volume report to the Governor.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole who assured that government will objectively implement the findings of the Committee report however said the rule of law must be enforced, stressing that without it, there can be no order in the society.
According to him “I want to thank the Chairman and members of the committee for doing a thorough job. When I asked you to go into the enquiry, I didn’t realize it will take so much work to produce this kind of result. I can see how painstaking it is to generate these volumes. We will look at this report objectively and act on it with only one thing in mind; the best interest of the people of Orhionmwon in particular and Edo State in general.
He noted “everyone looks for whom to blame for deficit in governance and how we have managed our national patrimony and the paradox makes us a laughing stock in the International Community when they talk of governance.
“The responsibility of leadership is to find courage to do things right; courage to correct what is not right, courage to apply the carrot as a reward, incentive for those who perform and also courage to wield the stick on those who fail to perform so that people can learn to choose whether they prefer the carrot or the stick.
The Governor said the reason things work in other places is not because they are all men and women of God, but because there is the fear of sanction.
“The rule of law must be enforced. The people must be made to understand that there can be no order or progress if laws are breached with impunity. That is why in accordance with the Local Government Act, if we suspect a wrongdoing; we are obliged by law to investigate it because people concerned are elected.
Oshiomhole said “given the calibre of persons who were carefully chosen, you will notice that I never called you because I didn’t want in any way to be seen as directly or indirectly influencing the way you chose to conduct your enquiry.”
Earlier, Chairman of the Committee of Enquiry, Barrister Osagie Obayuwana said the question of tour in public administration is an area that is prone to abuse and waste which is the direct opposite of good governance.
“The committee wishes to congratulate the Governor for being the first that we know of to beam the searchlight into this very important area. We have done our best. The reports are in three volumes”, he said.
It will be recalled that the Governor set up a Committee of Enquiry to look in to the unauthorized journey embarked upon by the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Councillors of Orhiomwon Local Government Council to Italy without permission in November 2013.
