The commissioner, permanent secretary in the ministry, federal coordinator of the programme and representatives of food vendors involved in the scheme were invited after a resolution was passed on November 7, 2017.
Ganiyu had noted that there was a noticeable abnormality in the handling of the feeding programme, which must be addressed by the commissioner and the others.
But, after telling the House that detailed investigation ought to be carried out before a motion would be moved on the floor of the house to avoid embarrassment, some lawmakers felt that Olowofela was being arrogant and disrespectful to the house and they moved for his suspension or removal for failing to recognise the powers conferred on the house to investigate any issue that was of public importance.
While giving details of his ministry’s involvement in the scheme in order to clear the allegation against the ministry, the commissioner said, “In the immediate future, we want to advise that a mover of a motion should carry out elementary investigations, not statements that will mislead the citizenry and portend the honourable house as being hasty in decision making.”
Deputy Speaker of the House, Musa Abdulwasi, said the House did the right thing by passing a vote of no confidence on the commissioner.
In an interview with correspondents, Olowofela said he acknowledged the right of the house to summon him to clear the issue, saying that the allegation was false and baseless.
He said, “The House has the right as an institution, but there was an allegation that the ministry was dividing the money meant for the home-grown school feeding programme into two. The ministry has no power over the accounts of the vendors and the administrators. I was not allowed to express myself, yet they said I was rude. Even in a court of law, you must give fair hearing.
“This home-grown school feeding programme has, since inception, yielded N2.7bn to Oyo State and we have never asked anybody for a kobo. So, if anybody raises a serious allegation in the public domain, it is better to trash it out in the public domain. I have great respect for individual lawmakers, but I have a responsibility to correct a lie.”
In their reaction, the food vendors accused the House of wrongly accusing Olowofela and submitted a letter at the Governor’s Office to challenge the lawmakers.
The letter, which was received on behalf of Governor Abiola Ajimobi by his deputy, Moses Alake, called on the governor to wade into the matter.
Coordinator of the Association of Food Vendors of the Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Mrs. Toyosi Ajobo, said the commissioner had never asked for a kickback or diverted their fund as alleged by the House.