Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the establishment of a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee to audit the assets and liabilities of the previous administration led by Godwin Obaseki.
The committee, which will be inaugurated on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at the Government House in Benin City, will be chaired by Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe. Anslem Ojezua has been appointed as deputy chairman, with Frank Edebor serving as secretary.
Governor Okpebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, disclosed the development in a statement on Sunday, emphasizing the committee’s role in promoting accountability and transparency.
“In furtherance of the governor’s initiative to set the state on the path of development and accountable leadership, the establishment of a State Assets Verification Committee has become imperative,” the statement read.
Itua revealed that despite requests for a comprehensive record of state assets and liabilities, the previous administration provided only limited information. The committee, comprising notable Edo State figures, aims to bridge this gap and fulfill Governor Okpebholo’s campaign promise of ensuring probity in governance.
Other members of the committee include Kassim Afegbua, Patrick Ikhariale, Taiwo Akerele, Patrick Idiake, Rasaq Bello-Osagie, Fredrick Unopah, Abdallah Eugenia, Patrick Obahiagbon, Kenny Okojie, Lyndsey Tes-Sorae, and Abass Braimoh.
This marks the second probe initiated by Governor Okpebholo in less than a month. Following his inaugural speech on November 12, he pledged to investigate the exclusion of 14 lawmakers from the Edo State House of Assembly in 2019. On Friday, he also ordered an inquiry into civil service recruitments carried out between May and November 2024 under Obaseki’s administration.
The committee's findings are expected to provide critical insights into the state’s current financial and infrastructural standing while laying the groundwork for Governor Okpebholo’s development agenda.
