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Public Expenditure: Financial Discipline Our Watchword – Osun Govt

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The Osun State Government has debunked repeated fake information from the opposition operatives, and an online platform which accused the government of recklessness in public expenditure. It described the news as false and a misrepresentation of facts, to be corrected by direct fact checking.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the State Government fingered such false reports with headlines as Adeleke blew N38bn in 21 months; splashed N8bn on vehicles in 2024; zero funding for gratuity, pension arrears; N38 billion spent on Governor’s Office; N8.09 billion on vehicle purchase; 500 million plus on entertainment among others.

Before puncturing the fake news, let me reiterate that the Osun State Government took a significant step towards fiscal accountability and transparency by making its budget implementation report accessible to the public on its official website as part of efforts to promote sustainability and Open Governance.

“The public release of the document is a clear confirmation that the government has nothing to hide and that all details provided in terms of expenditure are public spirited with high sense financial prudence and discipline.

On the allegation of huge expenses on vehicle purchase, the public is first reminded of how the Oyetola team carted away all government vehicles in 2022, making it imperative for the government to purchase vehicles for statewide operations.

This N8 billion figure represents the cumulative procurement of vehicles by the Bureau of General Services for all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to replace those carted away by the previous administration whose worth was ₦4,384,838,696.39 as at then and which ordinarily would have costed ₦18,488,312,413.88 to replace given the current value of the naira.

On pension and gratuity arrears, the current administration inherited a huge sum of ₦35bn pension and gratuity arrears from the previous administration and within just two years, the Adeleke Administration had cleared four years’ worth of ₦16.2bn pension and gratuity arrears spanning 2017 to 2020.

The public is invited to note that the  immediate past administration ruled between 2019 and 2022 and the total pension paid within the period was N11b plus compared to Adeleke’s N16 billion plus under two years.

On expenditure in Governor’s office, a review of expenditure within Governor’s office between 2019 to 2022 when Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola governed the state showed a humongous amount running into several billions of naira.

While Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola spent ₦9,615,519,767.34 between 20I9 to 2020 when the average exchange rate was about ₦300 per Dollar, the current government expended the sum of 26,185,980,555.14 from 2022 to date, when the average exchange rate was ₦1,300 per Dollar, as capital and overhead expenditure in the Governor’s office.

It is however noteworthy to add that Office the Governor comprises several agencies and units including the Governor’s personal office as an infinitesimal portion. It is disingenuous to put legitimate expenditure of statutory agencies and units on the head of the governor.

On the issue of security votes , we insist that the state governor is not drawing any security vote but the state government spent money on security services and operations and emergencies in the state which are processed within the compass of due process and financial regulations.

On a report by an online news medium that Osun state spent over Five Hundred Million Naira on entertainment, we educate the medium that Osun Government in the last one year or so has hosted several high profile national events bordering on beneficial policy meetings, hosting of ministers, Governors and even top state officials from the Presidency.

The medium is invited to note that hosting states spent fund on transportation,  accommodation and event organisation, all which were conducted under shoestring budget and within the context of hyper inflation plaguing the country.

The state benefited immensely as several developmental projects are attracted into the state while Osun state is gradually assuming the position of event hub of the South West, boosting the agenda of the administration on the cultural, creative and tourism industry.

We notice deliberate endeavour of the opposition to dent the image of the current government by misinterpreting, misrepresenting and fabricating financial conjectures especially after it has become overwhelmed by current good governance delivery. It is however gratifying to note that Osun people understand the gimmick of the unelectable opposition and are not falling for surveyors of fake news who failed miserably when they had opportunities to govern the state.

The public is aware through fact check that the increment in federal allocation to Osun state are being channeled to workers’ welfare, infrastructure upgrade, social sector renewal, small business financial supports as well as phased and liquidation of billions of naira in pension and salary debt inherited from the former administration.

We urge the public to ignore agents of fake news and to further fact check the preceding submissions from the state government to reaffirm that the current administration has shown exceptional prudence in resource management, outperforming its predecessor despite today’s challenging global economic landscape.

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Explosion Rocks Trans Niger Pipeline in Rivers

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An explosion has rocked a section of the Trans Niger Pipeline in Bodo Community in Gonna Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The explosion occurred late on Monday night near the Bodo-Bonny Road under construction

Thick black smoke was seen billowing into the atmosphere, with a raging fire spreading fast into the mangrove from a video that emerged on Tuesday morning.

The TNP is a federal transport line that supplies oil to the Bonny Export Terminal in Rivers State.

When contacted, the Police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko said she would find out and get back to our reporter, though she had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

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Sack Wike Now, Niger Delta Youths Tell Tinubu

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The youth chapter of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, to retract his publicly disparaging remarks against the Ijaw nation and the leaders of this socio-political body.

According to the youths, it is embarrassing that Wike insulted the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even in death without respecting him.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, the National Youth President of the Youth Wing, Doben Donyegha, who gave the ultimatum, said that it was annoying that Wike abused the leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Wike, during a media chat on Thursday, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.

Donyegha, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the minister from his cabinet, said that the youth wing no longer had confidence in him and that keeping Wike in his cabinet may affect the president’s re-election chances in the Niger Delta come 2027.

The President of the PANDEF youths also asked the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the minister, alleging land-grabbing activities in the FCT.

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Ahead Budget Presentation, Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly Adjourns Sitting Indefinitely

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The Rivers State House of Assembly has adjourned its sittings indefinitely.

The decision to adjourn legislative duties indefinitely was reached during plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The development comes hours after the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, wrote to the Speaker, informing him of his intention to visit the House to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration and approval.

The governor, in a letter dated March 13 and addressed to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said he intends to present the budget on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, or any other day within March that the House may deem fit.

Fubara said his decision is in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment and in response to the lawmakers’ request for him to re-present the budget.

He recalled the bitter experience of visiting the Assembly Quarters with his entourage, where the lawmakers were temporarily sitting to present the budget, but he was denied access to the complex.

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