AMILOADED MEDIA HUB NEWS UPDATE
Following the conclusion of an extensive legal battle both domestically and internationally, a civil society group, The Osun Masterminds, TOM, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to confront the reality of giving Nigerians true government.
The group bemoaned rising inflation and its detrimental effects on the populace, but it also asserted that the nation’s current problems are well-known, with the most concerning being the volatility of the foreign exchange market, which forms the foundation for many of the nation’s pricing policies that have severely impacted the average person’s quality of life.
While urging the federal government to implement a fiscal transparency policy that will enable the general public to hold public officials accountable, the group also urged the Adeleke-led administration to provide an explanation for the financial palliative package worth two billion naira that was intended to mitigate the impact of the state’s removal of fuel subsidies.
These calls were contained in a statement read by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, during its October State of the State address on Monday in Osun.
The group expressing congratulations to Governor Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke for the effective implementation of the state’s development plan worth 100 billion naira also applauded him for his ideas to quickly extend the reach of vital infrastructure in the state.
While inquiring about the source of funding for the project, the group also voiced concerns about the state’s potential to revert to the excessive borrowing practices that led to the state’s current financial difficulties.
The statement reads;
STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, OCTOBER 2023 – TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE DELIVERED BY THE OSUN MASTERMINDS ON HAPPENINGS IN OSUN STATE AND NIGERIA.
Recall that The Osun Masterminds has been at the forefront of advocacy for good governance, responsible politics and constructive citizenship. We have spoken loud in the far and recent past, about these core subject matters and engaged stakeholders across several divides.
Our advocacy has been based on the need to ensure that the futures of our State and country are safeguarded through all-encompassing political participation guided by respect for the rule of law and concern for the growth, development and posterity of our society. We have in the light of this, delivered several State of the State addresses to address several issues that had been in the polity from time to time.
We reaffirm our status as critical stakeholders in the Osun and Nigeria projects and cannot therefore turn a blind eye to critical issues in the polity. We take efficient note of events in our State and country and as we have been known to do, we are gathered again this month, to address a plethora of issues that we have taken note of in the past month and that we think have implications on the growth potentials of our State and country.
Time to provide true governance to Nigeria
At the end of a long legal tussle within and outside Nigeria, the legal processes have now been exhausted and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, having been affirmed as the validly elected President of the country, now faces the realities of providing serious governance to Nigerians.
Our current challenges are not unknown. The current challenges have become household items that all Nigerians grapple with. However, the most worrisome challenge, to the best of our knowledge, is the instability of our foreign exchange. Forex, being the basis for much of our pricing standards, have grossly affected the livelihood of the common man.
Commodity prices have continued to rise while the trade and manufacturing sectors are facing one of the toughest times in the history of our country. As it appears to us, the Federal Government seems to be losing the battle against Forex racketeering and parallel market sharp practices.
The Federal government must get a grip on the Nation’s fiscal policies and set the country on the path of true growth and development. The demand on the lips of the masses is not complicated. They are simply asking the Federal Government to stabilize inflation and not allow rising costs snuff life out of them. The Tinubu-led Federal Government must rise to the occasion and restore hope in Nigerians.
Fiscal Transparency
At this time when the economy is unstable and the people are looking up to government at all levels to provide succor, we advise the Federal Government to adopt a policy of fiscal transparency that will afford the masses the opportunity to truly hold public servants to account.
For example, we are of the opinion that for the sake of transparency, the Federal Government should begin to publish details of monthly allocations paid to State and Local Governments. The understanding of their State and Local Governments’ financial receipts will help Nigerians put leaders to task at all levels of government.
Putting such an information in the public domain also help keep leaders at State and Local Government levels on their toes, knowing that information about government’s activities is in the public domain.
In addition to the above, we also advise that the Federal Government directs its relevant agencies like the EFCC, to commence a thorough probe of recent financial interventions given to States to ensure that such interventions reach the intended beneficiaries.
To get things right and renew the hope of Nigerians as the President promised, we must entrench a culture of transparency and probity in governance at all levels.
Questions about 2 billion Naira palliative fund paid to the Osun State Government
Consequent upon the removal of fuel subsidy, States received material and financial palliatives for onward disbursement to the people of their respective domains. The financial palliative package amounted to two billion Naira per State and Osun also received its share.
We find it disappointing that months after the fund was received by the Osun State Government, it has not been accounted for by the relevant agencies of the Osun State Government.
We expected Mr. Governor to address the issue efficiently at the recent Ipade Imole held in Osogbo. However, his clarification was vague, noncommittal and elusive. Where is the two billion Naira subsidy removal palliative paid to Osun State? What, in exact terms, does the Osun State Government intend to use the fund for, that will have immediate and direct impact on the livelihood of Nigerians? Why is the Osun State Government sitting on a fund that was meant to provide immediate succor to the people?
No matter the good intentions of the State Government, if any, government still owes a duty to the people to inform them of steps government is taking on their behalf.
Where is the two billion Naira palliative?
One Hundred Billion Infrastructure Plan
We congratulate the Governor of Osun State, Sen. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke on the successful launch of the One Hundred Billion Naira infrastructure plan for the state. We commend him for his thoughts to rapidly expand the reach of critical infrastructure in the State. We however have some questions.
First question is that of funding. Where will Osun State get a hundred billion from, in our current financial state? We do hope the State will not return to the days of excessive borrowing that has landed us in our current financial woes.
The Governor recently told the State’s people that he has been spending his Security vote on projects, further lending credence to the fact that the State is indeed broke and needs to exercise caution in her financial decisions. Where then will one hundred billion drop from? Is there something the Governor knows that the State’s people are not aware of? Should he not tell us about this source that he knows?
Our second question is the modality for the selection of those projects listed in the infrastructure plan. In the spirit of equality, why is Ede alone taking the lion share of the highlighted projects when all of the major towns in the State are in dire need of critical road infrastructure? If we will save or borrow that massively to execute projects, should the spread not be a bit more impartial?
We also want to ask, why is Osun constructing so many flyovers? Why do we need so many of something we already cannot afford? From our analysis of the road infrastructure in Osun State, no road in the State is in such need of a flyover. Why then are we constructing not even one, but five?
While we await answers to these questions, we wish to inform Mr. Governor that as one of our Member organizations, the Transparency and Accountability Group (TAG) when the Oyetola government started plans to construct the Olaiya flyover, we will not hesitate to drag the State Government before relevant government agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for thorough scrutiny of our books.
One more question for the Governor on his infrastructure plan.
The Akoda – Oke Gada – Ofatedo road that was listed as three items in the Infrastructure plan had been initiated long before today. We are well aware that work had started on the road several months ago. The work already carried out includes expansion of the right of way, starting from the Akoda end. We are not aware of any supplementary budget sent to the House of Assembly, neither are we aware of any budgetary provision made for the construction of that road in the 2023 State Appropriation Act. Where did the Governor and his Government get the funds to mobilize contractors to site to commence work on that road?
Is the Governor aware that the State’s procurement law does not allow for arbitrary award of contracts? Now that the road has been included in the recently launched infrastructure plan, will funds already expended on the work done so far now be reworked into the 2024 budget to cover obvious extra-budgetary spending that were earlier done?
We await the Governor’s answers to our questions before we conclude on our next line of action.
Conclusion
We remain committed to our core mandate of advocating for good governance, ethical politics and responsible citizenship and we will not relent in our efforts to entrench the values of transparency, accountability and probity in our National and State life.
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