A former attorney general and commissioner for justice in Oyo State, Michael Lana, has said it is illegal for caretaker chairmen to appoint park managers in the state.
Lana, who spoke during a chat with newsmen explained that the local governments presently constituted in the state lack the power to appoint park managers because there are not democratically elected as chairmen and councillors.
It would be recalled that Governor Seyi Makinde had earlier proscribed the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, while introducing the Park Management System, PMS, with Mukaila Lamidi (Auxilliary) as disciplinary committee chairman.
However, just last week, a federal high court after being approached by the leaders of the proscribed NURTW on the matter, declared as illegal the appointment of PMS by Governor Makinde, adding that it was the duty of the local government.
The Makinde administration, which has since accepted the judgement, handed over the PMS to the local government but in a new twist, the council chairmen gave a fresh letter of appointment to Auxilliary and others to continue in their previous positions.
But Lana, while reacting, explained that despite his appreciation towards Mr governor’s reaction to the court verdict by not approaching an appeal court, he is equally not impressed by the choice of auxiliary chairman.
He said elevating such a person to a government position for money collection without any legal backing made it worrisome.
He added that there is in existence a High Court judgment by Hon Justice Boade (rtd) during the APC regime that denied the state the right to appoint caretaker chairmen and any such appointment, therefore the current caretaker chairmen are liable to face the EFCC because their financially remuneration might soon be declared illegal.