Lagos Assembly Screens Six Governor’s Nominees For State Public Procurement Agency, TESCOM

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday screened six Governor’s nominees for both the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency and the State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM)
Nominated and screened for the position of General Manager, Lagos State Public Procurement Commission was Mr. Onafowote Fatai Idowu.
Onafowote was born on 16th January, 1957.
He attended University of Ibadan and studied agriculture, biochemistry and nutrition.
He started working at the Lagos State Agriculture Development Project. He later became Programme Secretary, State Food Security Programme
He also supported Lagos State Public Procurement as a Technical Adviser and he has been acting as General Manager of the commission since May 2016.
He is a certified procurement manager, who has worked under World Bank project in the sector.
He however, agreed that insurance bond is important for procurement, adding that the fund given to any contractor ought to be protected.
“They could get bond from banks or insurance companies. I support the ongoing reform in the House of Assembly on public procurement. “Initial payment for contracts could be between 20 and 40%. It could be low for projects that involved a lot of money. Financial capability is part of consideration. 20% could be low, but it should range between 20 and 40%,” he said.
He added that he started acting as the GM of the commission as a child of circumstance, when the immediate past General Manager resigned.
The House also screened nominees for the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).
Nominated and screened for the position of the Chairman of the board of TESCOM was Mrs. Elizabeth Olabisi Ariyo.
Ariyo was born in 1956, and she attended United Missionary College and got Grade 2 Teachers Certificate, taught in Ilesha, Osun State. She also studied at the University of Lagos from 1982 to 1986 and studied English Language.
She started working with the Lagos State School of Basic Studies in 1986, and later worked as an inspector, planning officer and state Primary Education Board.
She became a Permanent Secretary in 2015 and retired in 2016.
On pension, she said that she will monitor payment of pension of teachers, adding that there is presently no central body. It
Also screened to be a member of the commission was Mr. Jacob Mahonu Ashaka.
Ashaka was born in 1958 in Topo, Badagry. In 1976, he proceeded to Government Teachers Training College, Badagry for Grade 2 Certificate and was employed as a teacher.
In 1981, he went to Lagos State College of Education and graduated in 1984. He went back to teaching in 1985 after his NYSC Programme.
He worked at Agboju Secondary School for nine years. He later gained admission to the Lagos State University for first degree and went back for Masters Degree programme in Education Science and Administration in 2001.
Another nominee screened for TESCOM was Mrs. Sidikat Titilayo Smith.
Smith was born in 1954 and attended the University of Lagos, where she studied Biology Education. She was also cleared by the House for the position.
Mr. Adeleke Oluwaseun Kara was also screened to be a member of TESCOM.
Kara went to the Federal College of Education, Okenne, and later taught at Teachers College, Ikorodu before going to the University of Ibadan to study Guidance and Counseling.
The fifth nominee screened for TESCOM was Mrs. Hadijat Hassan Kuburat. She was born in 1965 and attended Lagos State University, where she studied Political Science and later got masters degree and is undergoing Phd Programme at the University of Ilorin.
Meanwhile, a Bill for a Law to amend the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (2016) was read for the second time.
Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Public Petitions, and Human Rights, Hon. Tunde Buraimoh stated that the bill needs overhauling and that the citizens must be made to know the importance of security.
He said that the House has a responsibility to ensure that the agency works well and made to achieve its aim.
The Majority Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade also added his voice to the need to review the bill, which he said considered the issue of vigilante.
He said that members of the corps have power to conduct search or to arrest any erring member of the public.
Hon. Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu Constituency 1) and Hon. Yishawu Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti Osa 2) also spoke on the matter.
The bill was later committed to the House Committee on Information, Publicity and Strategy, headed by Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho and they are to report back to the House in two weeks.