…Uncovers 400 ghost files in local government system
… Warns MOWAA against land encroachment
BY IDAHOSA MOSES
BENIN CITY – The Edo State Government has suspended all Heads of Local Government Administration (HoLGAs) across the 18 councils in the state, following a discovery of widespread irregularities and hundreds of unverified personnel records.
Chairman of the Edo State Local Government Service Commission, Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, who announced the measure on Wednesday in Benin City, said that the move is part of a sweeping reform to clean up the system and restore credibility to grassroots administration.
Adjoto said the Commission, after an extensive tour of the 18 local government councils, uncovered massive administrative lapses including ghost files and poor record management.
“We discovered disturbing irregularities in the councils’ record systems. To ensure a fair and transparent review, all Heads of Local Government Administration are hereby directed to proceed on compulsory leave with effect from today,” he stated.
He said the “compulsory leave” was necessary to allow for an independent audit of staff postings, record management, and financial administration without interference.
The Commission chairman also directed all Directors of Administration and General Services (DAGS) to take charge of council affairs pending further directives.
Adjoto revealed that the Commission’s digitization process had so far uncovered 382 ghost files and 138 retired files still active in the system, describing the situation as unacceptable.
Meanwhile, the HoLGA and Director of Finance in Etsako West Local Government were also placed on compulsory leave and interdicted over petitions of misconduct.
He assured that the Commission under Governor Okpebholo’s administration would continue to enforce accountability, transparency, and staff retraining to strengthen local government service delivery across the state.
Meanwhile, Governor Monday Okpebholo, has cautioned the management of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) against further encroachment on land belonging to the Edo State Specialist Hospital, vowing to defend public property and ensure accountability in land administration.
The governor issued the warning during an inspection tour of the MOWAA project site at King’s Square, Benin City, where he was conducted around the area by the museum’s Executive Director, Mr. Philip Iheanacho.
Governor Okpebholo said the visit became necessary to obtain first-hand information on the project’s boundaries and to prevent further infringement on the hospital’s land.
Expressing displeasure over what he described as “unacceptable encroachment,” the governor likened the situation to “a tenant attempting to drive a landlord out of his own property.”
“The hospital has existed for over 90 years, while MOWAA is a recent development. We cannot allow a situation where public property is taken over under any guise,” Okpebholo said.
He noted that the Edo Specialist Hospital remains a critical public health institution serving the people of the state, stressing that his administration would not permit its operations or future expansion to be undermined.
The governor consequently directed immediate demarcation of boundaries between the hospital and the museum to forestall future disputes.
“Edo people are not happy with this development. My duty as governor is to safeguard what belongs to them. We have shown MOWAA their proper boundaries, and they must adhere to it.
“The hospital’s facilities, including doctors’ quarters, emergency wards, and the mortuary, were displaced without replacement, that is unacceptable,” Okpebholo stated.
He added that while his administration supports cultural preservation and creative investment, such projects must not compromise essential public services or citizens’ welfare.
Governor Okpebholo maintained that his government would continue to promote development across sectors, but never at the expense of public institutions.
“We will encourage investment and cultural advancement, but Edo people’s property and institutions must be protected. Governance must balance progress with fairness,” he concluded.
The MOWAA project, initiated under the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, has in recent months been the subject of boundary-related controversy with the Edo Specialist Hospital.
Responding, MOWAA’s Executive Director, Mr. Philip Iheanacho, acknowledged the governor’s concerns, noting that the museum’s development followed a Certificate of Occupancy issued by the previous government.
He, however, expressed willingness to work with the state government to amicably resolve the issue.
“Our project is in its first phase of a two-phase development. We are open to discussions with the government to reassess boundaries and ensure there’s no encroachment on either side,” Iheanacho said.
He also reaffirmed MOWAA’s commitment to a cooperative relationship with the government, emphasizing that the project’s execution will continue to respect legal, community, and public interests.
