The Speaker of the Ogun State House Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, on Wednesday said four lawmakers shared a toilet in the Assembly complex.
Oluomo stated this shortly before the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, presented the 2021 budget proposal at the Assembly complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Oluomo had last year raised the concern during the budget presentation by the governor.
Apparently worried by the governor’s disinterest in addressing the facility challenges of the lawmakers one year after, the Speaker re-echoed the need to address the infrastructural decay at the Assembly complex.
He decried the poor state of office accommodation and toilet facility at the complex. The Speaker also presented the prototype of a new Assembly complex designed by the lawmakers to the governor.
He said, “Let me state it here sir that apart from the Speaker and the deputy, no other member of the House has an anteroom, not to talk of having a secretariat for themselves. It is appalling to mention that it is one toilet to four honourable members in this Assembly.”
He added that some allowances due to the lawmakers had also not been paid.
The Speaker further complained that members of the Assembly could not implement “major projects” in the outgoing year due to paucity of funds.
He asked Abiodun to “approve release of various allowances due to honourable members and staff, including furniture allowances to members, outstanding leave bonuses and wardrobe allowances.”
While responding, Abiodun acknowledged that the Speaker raised the concern last year. He promised that his government would address the challenge next year.