N100b Infrastructural Development Fund: Group vows to drag Osun govt to anti-graft agencies

The Osun Mastermind says it has concluded plans to drag the Osun State Government before the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission, ICPC over the N100b infrastructural development funds.

The group also tasked the federal government to direct relevant agencies to commence a thorough probe of recent financial interventions given to states to ensure that such interventions reach the intended beneficiaries.

The Executive Director, TOM, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, who made the call during a press conference on Monday in Osogbo, expressed concern that Osun State may return to her days of excessive borrowing and financial recklessness.

He warned the Osun State government to take caution in its financial decisions, especially, now that the state is broke.

“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.

“Is the government aware that the state procurement law does not allow for arbitrary award of contracts? We have concluded plans to petition the ICPC on borehole projects, procurement laws and official documentation of the N100 billion infrastructural development fund.

“Are all these projects captured in the budget and where did the Governor get the money from? We believe the ICPC will do the needful in rescuing the state from financial recklessness,” Oyedokun-Alli said.

He said the Osun Mastermind will receive the petition after it has been submitted and received by the EFCC at the close of business on Monday.

Oyedokun-Alli added that plans by the government to construct flyover bridges would amount to a waste of resources in a dwindling economy.

He advised that the funds for flyover bridges be used for rapid infrastructural development across local government areas and the opening up of roads in the state.

“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, nor 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 was earlier done?”