Controversy has erupted in Osun State after the Coalition of Civil Society groups under the aegis of The Osun Masterminds (TOM) accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of allegedly diverting the Federal Government’s N2 billion palliative fund meant for citizens of the state.
During a state-of-the-state address in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State on Tuesday, the Executive Director of TOM, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, condemned the state government’s approach in utilizing the N2 billion funds.
“Osun state government failed to utilise FG’s palliative for the purpose that it was given. Other states who received N2b FG’s subsidy removal palliatives fund are looking for ways to ease the pressure on the people. States also received thousands of bags of rice and maize, to be distributed to their citizens. This is in addition to the increase in statutory allocations to States since subsidy was removed.
“The Osun State Government stubbornly insisting on adding the N2billon palliative to its N100 billion Naira Infrastructure plan is a diversion of funds and it is criminal and inhuman. We are also asking what the State Government’s additional palliatives are.”
He continued “Other States of the Federation are taking critical steps to reduce the hardship on their people. What is Osun doing? Provision of Imole De Buses is not palliative to the generality of Osun people. We are also asking the Osun State Government, what it is doing with the allocation windfall it is receiving from the Federal Government.”
Oyedokun-Alli added, “When times are easier, the Government should be seen taking deliberate steps to plan for tough days. What are we doing with the increased figures we receive today? We are also asking the Osun State Government, what is the State’s Agricultural Production plan? What is Osun State doing to achieve food sufficiency here in the State? Where is the Osun State Commissioner for Agriculture at a time like this? What is his Ministry doing? The Osun State Government, under Sen. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, must answer these questions and clarify what it is doing to ensure the State’s short and long-term prosperity.”
However, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, reacting to the allegations, said, “The -N2b fund is a loan from FG which we are going to repay and the state government would determine how it will put it to use.”
He berated the group, saying, “They are hallucinating, they are on the payroll of APC. The state has addressed how it spent the N2 billion provided by the federal government. We used part of it to repair ‘Imole-De buses used for subsidised transportation for people of the state. We also used part of it to enroll pensioners on the State Health Insurance Scheme free of charge and the remaining was added to the fund the government used for wage awards for the civil servants.”
OSUN: Adeleke Reacts To Allegation He Diverted N2bn FG Palliative Fund is first published on The Whistler Newspaper