A Concerned Nigeria wrote the Government of Lagos State to request for information on how our Tax is been managed by the so called "Incorruptible Government" of an APC led State, Attached to this post is a copy of the Response of the Government, And you say they are not all of the same hue. They are are corrupt

Below is a copy of the Letter from the concerned Citizen.

DR. ADEGBOLA DOMINIC,
SANTA MARIA HOSPITAL,
10, SANTA MARIA STREET,
EGAN-IGANDO,
LAGOS.

Tel: 08125840416, 08033251594
Email: adegboladominic@yahoo.com

24th October, 2012
The Commissioner for Finance, Lagos State,
Ministry of Finance,
The Secretariat,
Alausa, Ikeja,
Lagos.

The Board of Lagos State Internal Revenue Service,
Ikeja,
Lagos.

The Auditor General,
Office of the State Auditor – General,
Secretariat,
Alausa – Ikeja.

The Special Adviser, Taxation & Revenue,
Office of the Governor of Lagos State,
Governor’s Office,
Alausa, Ikeja,
Lagos.

The Attorney General of Lagos State,
Ministry of Justice,
The Secretariat,
Alausa, Ikeja,
Lagos.

Dear Sir,

APPLICATION FOR ACCESS TO, AND REQUEST TO YOU TO MAKE
AVAILABLE TO ME, ALL THE INFORMATION, CTC’S OF THE FILES,
RECORDS, CONTRACT DOCUMENTS ETC. IN YOUR CUSTODY OR
POSSESSION RESPECT OF THE CONTRACT/AGREEMENT ENTERED
THE GOVERNMENT OF LAGOS STATE AND, THE COMPANY, ALPHA
BETA CONSULTING LIMITED MANDATING THE COMPANY TO
COLLECT ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT ALL TAXES AND
INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE (IGR) DUE, PAYABLE AND
PAID TO THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS AGENCIES AND ALL THE
COMMISSIONS DUE, PAYABLE AND PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT
TO THE COMPANY AND RECEIVED BY THE COMPANY SINCE
THE DATE OF THE CONTRACT/AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO
SECTIONS 2, 3(3)M, O, 5, 6, 7, 9 & 10 OF THE PROVISIONS OF
THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2011 OR AS REPLICATED/
DOMESTICATED IN LAGOS STATE OF NIGERIA

WHEREAS as the Commissioner for Finance, Lagos State, your office is responsible for the management and disbursement of the finances of Lagos State, as well as being the Supervisory Commissioner over the Board of Internal Revenue Services of Lagos State.


and WHEREAS as the Board of Lagos State Internal Revenue Services, your Board is the Board charged with the collection all taxes and internally Generated Revenue of Lagos State,


and WHEREAS as the Auditor General of Lagos State, your office audits the Public Accounts of the State and of all officers by accessing all the books, records, returns and other documents relating to those accounts,


and WHEREAS as the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Taxation and Revenue, your office is in charge of monitoring all the taxes and revenue accruing to the state,


and WHEREAS as the Attorney General of Lagos State, you are the Chief Law Officer and Commissioner for Justice of the Government of Lagos State whose office prepares and vets all contractual agreements/documents of the Lagos State Government and its agencies, and has custody and possession of same.


and WHEREAS by virtue of the special positions, functions and responsibilities of your offices as stated in 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 above, you know, and deemed to know or ought to know all about the taxes and revenue accruing to the Government of Lagos State as well as have in your custody and possession all the contractual agreements entered in respect of taxes and revenue matters of the state, and have in your possession and custody copies of these contractual agreements.

AND WHEREAS as a citizen of Nigeria and indigene of Lagos State it has come to my knowledge that the Government of Lagos State has entered into a contractual agreement with the Company, Alpha Beta Consulting Ltd. Whereupon the Company has the mandate of the Government of Lagos State since 1999 to collect and been collecting on behalf of the Government of Lagos State all the taxes and Internally Generated Revenue which have accrued and been paid to the State whereafter the Company is entitled to and being paid the Commission (of 15% (Fifteen Per Centum) therefrom since the year 1999.


AND WHEREAS sometime in 2011 by virtue of a statement issued by Mr. Bola Sodipo, Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Taxation and Revenue, the existence of a Contractual Agreement with the Company as tax and revenue collector on behalf of the Government was confirmed; but added that the Government of Lagos State would terminate the services of the Company by February, 2012,


and WHEREAS the Government of Lagos State now boasts of an IGR or about N40 billion every month translating into a commission of N6 Billion due to and being paid to the Company every month, which sum I consider unfavourable and outrageous to me as a tax payer and Citizen of Lagos State.


I, Dr. Adegbola Dominic wish to know how the taxes, revenue, finances of the State accrue, are managed, disbursed etc. In Lagos State and do hereby apply, to you, by yourselves, agents, servants etc. to access and request to be made available to me by you, all information, CTC’s of Files, records, Contract Agreements/Documents, in respect of the said Contract/Agreement entered into between the Government of Lagos State and, the Company, Alpha Beta Consulting Limited, mandating the Company to assess and collect on behalf of the Government all Taxes and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) due, payable and paid by the Government and its agencies and all the commissions due, payable and paid by the government to the Company and received by the Company since the announcement of the Contract/Agreement for my perusal and scrutiny pursuant to Section 2, 3(3)m, o, 5, 6, 7, 9, & 10 of the Provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 (F.O.I) as Replicated/Domesticated in Lagos State of Nigeria. My request is basically to let me know the monthly returns of the taxes and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) generated, accrued, collected and paid to the Government and commissions received from Government or its agencies by the Company since inception of the contract.

Sir, under Section 5 of the F.O.I, the above information, records, file, agreements/documents etc. shall be made available to me within 7 days after the application is received by you and I am ready and undertake to pay all appropriate fees in your duplications and transcriptions of the said documents to meet my request.
Counting on your fullest co-operation.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Adegbola Dominic

This is the height of stvpidity.
How do we confirm that Lagos told the man the law is not applicable in the state?
You only posted the letter written by the phantom doctor.
Where is the reply of the government?
You are du.m.b

seanet02: This is the height of stvpidity.
How do we confirm that Lagos told the man the law is not applicable in the state?
You only posted the letter written by the phantom doctor.
Where is the reply of the government?
You are du.m.b

It is needless on your part to embark on this derision.I don't know what is wrong,it is either nairaland is making it impossible for me to attach the letter or there is a hitch on my operating system.Please PM me for a copy of the response from LASG.

seanet02: This is the height of stvpidity.
How do we confirm that Lagos told the man the law is not applicable in the state?
You only posted the letter written by the phantom doctor.
Where is the reply of the government?
You are du.m.b

Hmmmm! I get to love the feistiness sometimes.

Actually if you thought about it, you can make a reasoned argument that truly the FOI Act does not apply to the Lagos governemnt. We are supposed to be a federal democracy. An Act passed by the National Assembly (even salutary laws like the FOI) cannot have automatic application to compel the Lagos govt. to do something.

This is from LASG

Admiral General Baba Fash has spoken so pls dont ask questions

I don't know what is wrong,it is either nairaland is making it impossible for me to attach the letter or there is a hitch on my operating system.Please PM me for a copy of the response from LASG or alternatively send an email address.

MAYOWAAK:

It is needless on your part to embark on this derision.I don't know what is wrong,it is either nairaland is making it impossible for me to attach the letter or there is a hitch on my operating system.Please PM me for a copy of the response from LASG.

post it here let us see. Why should i pm you?

MAYOWAAK: This is from LASG

I still cannot find the letter from Lagos State...still waiting. Cheers

Lagos and Ekiti are the only states that has domesticated the Freedom of Information Act. States cannot be compelled to adhere to the content of the FOI Act as passed by the NASS and signed into law by the President. The FOI law is under the 'Concurrent list' of the federation law, so states are allowed to fashion the law as it suits them.



@Op, the letter seeking to request information from the LASG and the State government's reply are both dated Oct and Nov 2012. The LASG version of FOI Act was enacted this year( May 2013) I guess. Kudos should be given to Lagos and Ekiti states that has mustered the courage to domesticate it, as other states of the federation have shied away from making it a law in their domain.


Even after it became law at the federal level, government agencies have remained hesitant and continue to stymie access to public information. Example is the Code of Conduct Bureau which declined to expose the assets declaration form that was filed and submitted by President Jonathan.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/why-we-cant-reveal-jonathans-assets-declaration-form-ccb/

ibezomam@yahoo.:


I still cannot find the letter from Lagos State...still waiting. Cheers

It appears I have been banned from attaching documents.I tried attaching on another thread I couldn't as well.

Moderators,have I been banned from attaching documents?PLEASE HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

MAYOWAAK:

It appears I have been banned from attaching documents.I tried attaching on another thread I couldn't as well.

Moderators,have I been banned from attaching documents?PLEASE HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

As long as its to do with Lagos state forget it. You're lucky this thread has not been deleted. Why do you think Fashola makes the front page for the most flimsy of reasons?

Shine It:

As long as its to do with Lagos state forget it. You're lucky this thread has not been deleted. Why do you think Fashola makes the front page for the most flimsy of reasons?

Tell me something I don't know.

[quote author=seanet02] post it here let us see. Why should i pm you?[/quote

I have sent a message to the Seun Osewa on facebook icluding the document notifying him of this issue.

I will wait to see a copy of LASG response before I make any input.

Bros Shey dem don warn you make u no post am? . There is no party more corrupt than APC, mark my word and watch out.

This Alpha Beta thing has got to be the most outrageous fraud in Nigeria's 4th Republic. . .the flagship emblem of Tinubu's unprecedented and unparalleled greed and corruption.

SIMPLE ARITHMETIC

FOR + LAGOS STATE GOVT /FASHOLA = Front page

AGAINST + LAGOS STATE GOVT /FASHOLA = "thread closed"

that's all!!

MAYOWAAK:

Tell me something I don't know.

you go fear APC e warriors & their cyber security na.

@op i wont advice you to register another account & try again so dat it wont look like im against thieving rogues. Ok

seanet02: This is the height of stvpidity.
How do we confirm that Lagos told the man the law is not applicable in the state?
You only posted the letter written by the phantom doctor.
Where is the reply of the government?
You are du.m.b

While we await a copy of the actual response, take note that this 66 year old doctor, who is a director at Santa Maria Hospital, Egan Igando, Lagos, has long been a thorn in the side of LASG.

From what I can see, our democracy has a lot to gain if each of the leading opposition parties adopt a similar approach to fact-finding, at all levels of government.

[img]http://www.mydailynewswatchng.com/wp-content/themes/sahifa/timthumb.php?src=/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Dominc.jpg&h=330&w=660&a=c[/img]

Adegbola Dominic, a medical practitioner and 2011 governorship candidate of a coalition of political parties including the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Lagos State, is now a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). Former national chairman of Alhaji Lateef Jakande’s Action Party of Nigeria (APN), Dr. Dominic is at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, urging the court to implement the decision of the Supreme Court in Gani Fawehinmi vs. Inspector General of Police by getting the IG of Police to prosecute former governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State for perjury. In this interview with Head of Politics, MAXWELL ODITTA, the hospital proprietor also talks about the Tinubu he contested against in a senatorial primary, two decades ago.
Source

Justice Saliu Saidu dismissed the application, filed by one Dr Dominic Adegbola, seeking to reopen the suit initially instituted by late Chief Gani Fawehinmi in 1999.

Adegbola had sought for an order compelling the IGP to commence investigation into the alleged certificate forgery case.

Source

Lagos State Governor and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Governorship Candidate, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (right), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Governorship Candidate, Dr. Adegbola Dominic (middle) and All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) Governorship Candidate, Mr. Yomi Tokoya (left) during the Lagos Governorship Debate Session organized by Channels Television in partnership with ThisDay Newspapers at Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos on Wednesday, March 2, 2011.

Source

If it is justifiable, is it also morally right for former heads of the executive arms of government at the federal level and their counterparts in the state to pocket such mouth watering benefits after a mere four or eight years tenures in office?A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Lagos State and former governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Dominic Adegbola says the pension benefits for the past leaders are uncalled for. Adebgola holds the view that the pension packages as presently obtained across the nation, particularly in Lagos State is “excessive and obscene”.

“Why should an ex-governor receive any pension at all anyway? Was he jobless before he became governor? How many years did he put into public service? How much did he contribute to the pension fund?” he queried He says the argument that it would prevent government officials from stealing while in office does not hold water.

“If, as some people suggest, the purpose is to discourage a sitting governor from stealing public money, then that presupposes that the governor had a propensity for stealing and therefore, was not worthy to be governor in the first place”, he argued.

Source

^^

While we await for the scanned copy of the response and demand that NL administrators allow this document to be uploaded and unban this ID in the spirit of FOI which we all support, I think accountability means that even a roadside begger can get a lawyer to demand answers from a government on his behalf. It does not really matter whether the person is a member of PDP or APC or APGA, RCCG, Winners, Catholic, Muslim, traditionalist or other such categorization. Government must be accountable, including LASG, not just FG. If this law has not been domesticated in Lagos State, then that creates more questions that answers. Why has LASG not domesticated the law? If FG, with her whole burden of National Security and national intelligence groups under her can sign this Act, what then is LASG waiting for? I will not want to believe that LASG has not passed this Act.

And in the spirit of FOI, I demand explanation from the administrators of this space, why a fabricated piece of paper from Leadership Newspaper called PD could easily be uploaded by a single click but this guy has even been banned to for daring to upload a response letter from LASG? Or do I assume that the same media that is in the forefront for the passage of FOI bill cannot even domesticate it in her own operations?

talktimi: you go fear APC e warriors & their cyber security na.

A couple of weeks ago I opened a thread about the monumental fraud that went into the Opon jibiti sorry opon imo launched by Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State.His son was alleged to have being given the contract which was grossly inflated.Could you believe that topic was not even allowed to make the politics page,I made not less than five attempts which eventually earned me a ban of I think three days.

Without any scintilla fear of contradiction and expulsion from NAIRALAND,I hereby declare NAIRALAND as cyber arm of ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS.

Anyone that is interested in having the document should email at akinniyiakinsola@yahoo.co.uk

Frank-C:
^^

While we await for the scanned copy of the response and demand that NL administrators allow this document to be uploaded and unban this ID in the spirit of FOI which we all support, I think accountability means that even a roadside begger can get a lawyer to demand answers from a government on his behalf. It does not really matter whether the person is a member of PDP or APC or APGA, RCCG, Winners, Catholic, Muslim, traditionalist or other such categorization. Government must be accountable, including LASG, not just FG. If this law has not been domesticated in Lagos State, then that creates more questions that answers. Why has LASG not domesticated the law? If FG, with her whole burden of National Security and national intelligence groups under her can sign this Act, what then is LASG waiting for? I will not want to believe that LASG has not passed this Act.

And in the spirit of FOI, I demand explanation from the administrators of this space, why a fabricated piece of paper from Leadership Newspaper called PD could easily be uploaded by a single click but this guy has even been banned to for daring to upload a response letter from LASG? Or do I assume that the same media that is in the forefront for the passage of FOI bill cannot even domesticate it in her own operations?

Citizen Frank-C is entitled to his misplaced view of the Leadership newspaper publication, but at least we finally get to agree on two things: (1) the need to fully domesticate the FOI bill, in the interest of accountability and probity all levels of government; and (2) @OP's unbanning by esteemed Nairaland administrators.

UPDATE ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
Submitted by Africa Network for Environm... on Thu, 2013-05-16 15:04

By Kelly Ovie Umukoro.

On May 24, 2011 the Freedom of Information Bill was finally assented to by the president. The bill had earlier been passed by both the Federal House of representatives and the Senate. Till date, the Freedom of Information Act is yet to receive the expected attention from Nigerians in the thirty- six States of the federation. At the last count, only Ekiti and has adopted the FoI Act. The governor of Kogi State is yet to assent the bill passed by the State House of Assembly why lagos state on the other hand has is own vision of the Act.

The Freedom of Information Act, 2011 is supposed to make public records and information readily available, provide for public access to public records and information, protect public records and information to the extent consistent with the public interest and the protection of personal privacy, protect serving public officers from adverse consequences for disclosing certain kind of official information without authorization and establishment procedures for the achievement of those purpose and other related matters.

The bill which was designed to curb corruption in our public institutions is still very unknown to many Nigerians . Media practitioners and Civil Society have in few occasions tested the Act, but the CSOs have several times met with brickwall. An instance is the effort in using the bill to obtain information relating to the Oil windfall allegedly misappropriated by the Ibrahim Babangida military administration from the Federal Government.

Although civil society groups in the country are still working very hard to see that other states domesticate the freedom of information Act, workshops and orientation seminars has been organised across the country but, the level of awareness is still very low in some quarters.

Some experts believe that Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act does not need to be adopted by the states in the country before it becomes effective for purposes of disclosures at the state level.
This clarification was coming against the backdrop of some misconceptions that states of the federation need to adopt the FoI Act before it becomes binding on them. Lagos and Ekiti states have gone ahead to enact their own versions of the Freedom of Information Act.

The experts pointed out that this step was ‘unnecessary and diversionary’ explaining that ‘the concept of domestication applies in its strictest sense to the ratification of international treaties by state parties. they said it was in such instance that such state parties being sovereign entities would need to adopt the principles of such treaties and include same in their domestic body of laws. The FoI Act on its part is already an Act, enacted by the national Parliament and is thus by virtue binding on all citizens and institutions in the country and in cases of clash the law states that federal laws take prominence.’

They also expressed fear over the supposed requirement of domestication of the Freedom of Information Act before it becomes effective in the states saying that this may to a large extent defeat the purpose of the law. ‘In the first instance, getting the states of the federation to domesticate the Act may take another 13 years or more, if this line of argument is to be pursued.

Source

Hypocrites. Tmoro they will be shouting progressive progressive. Do they need to capture presidency b4 u run a clean corrupt free government ? I know hw Abike Dabiri fought 4 dis bill. Every Nigeria applauded it and here we r. What is d essence of paying the Lagislators if any law they make is nt binding on d state.Every Nigerian comes frm a state and if is only state assembly laws that are obeyed, den the Senator n house of rep shud kwukwuma pack up.

This shows that Fashola is hiding somtin. FOI bring transparency and helps to reduce corruption and any state governor that is against it is a corrupt governor.Period

If this post hit front page make I nack my prick for concreat wall

To all you nah sayer: I have a dream that one day[very soon] this thread will make from page. In the mean time, Abeg, Akpors get me seat make I book my space for front because this thread has all the recipe for a tribal war/ bashing. Tenks dont mention

ibezomam@yahoo.:


I still cannot find the letter from Lagos State...still waiting. Cheers

now that youve seen the letter.u don believe

042

@Op, both letters(that of the concerned Lagosian and the state government's reply) are dated 2012. The FOI only became operational in Lagos State this year, so LASG did not err. Isn't that why Dr. Dominic did not bother to approach the court to compel the state government to expose the information he requested after LASG reply?


Those who seek to obtain information from LASG can now invoke the FOI.

take dat: @Op, both letters(that of the concern Lagosian and the state government's reply) are dated 2012. The FOI only became operational in Lagos State this year, so LASG did not err.


The concern Lagosian requesting such information can now invoke the FOI.

Thanks for setting the record straight again.
It is now clearly obvious that the LASG and its counterpart in Ekiti have covered more ground in this respect than any of the other states in the federation.

Now let's hope those who were rather quick to impugn ulterior motives on this thread also see fit to beam their ray of probity elsewhere.