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Oyo govt. to unveil anti- corruption agency next week

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The  Seyi Makinde led Oyo state government on Friday hinted  that it has concluded all arrangements to inaugurate it’s long- awaited   Anti-Corruption Agency.

Governor Makinde, who disclosed this while playing host to the 56th President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and other executive members of the body at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan, informed that the anti-graft body will be unveiled next week.

He also maintained that probity, accountability and transparency will continue to remain the hallmark of his administration.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor as telling the ICAN team, led by its 56th President, Dame Onome Joy Adewuyi, that the state will continue to collaborate with ICAN to ensure accountability and transparency in the state’s financial dealings.

The statement further indicated that Governor Makinde told his visitors that the state would launch the anti-corruption agency to ensure accountability across Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.

He said: “Of course, accountability is something that is sacrosanct in this present administration. To demonstrate the transparency within this administration, you said I am the first person to get the report. Well, you will also be the first one to learn something about the Oyo Anti-Corruption Agency.

“The name of the agency will be launched openly within the next week. I asked for three people to be nominated but I did not give an inkling why I asked for those nominations. But then, they gave me two names. One of them will be a member of the Oyo State anti-corruption agency.

“One of your members will definitely be serving us within that agency. That is how we believe the government should be run. It should not be a government of cronies. The name of the body is OYACA. We will definitely continue to leverage on the relationship with ICAN at the state level and also nationally.”

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The governor maintained that Oyo State has been collaborating with ICAN for years, saying that the government needs to be transparent in order to be able to engender good governance.

He promised that the present administration in the state will continue to leverage the relationship with ICAN towards entrenching fiscal discipline and transparency in the management of public funds.

He said: “We have been collaborating with ICAN and it is a professional body that we are proud of. When the past president was talking about the accountability index, we were not surprised about the position of Oyo State in 2017, 2018, and before we came in, but government is a continuum. And what we have done is to, basically, look at what we met and we have tried to chart a path for the state.”

The governor said that his administration would continue to support the civil servants by affording them regular training both internally and externally.

“Concerning the issues raised regarding employment, cadres and levels, the Head of Service is here and I am sure she has listened to you. We are not quick to shy away from taking on issues head-on. She will look at it, look at the rules of engagement in Oyo State. And where we can amend the laws; we will definitely do it.

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“I will also like to let you know that we have always sponsored chartered accountants to external programmes and we will continue to do that,” the governor said.

While speaking earlier, the ICAN President said the visit was to appreciate Governor Makinde for the support that the Ibadan District Society of ICAN has been enjoying since he assumed office as governor.

She commended the governor for recording different feats in infrastructure development and setting a new pace by putting up an Infectious Disease Research and Treatment Centres when other states were erecting temporary isolation centres during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said: “The state under your able leadership has witnessed visible infrastructural development. ICAN is particularly encouraged with the renewed focus in Oyo State and to provide an enabling environment for learning and capacity building which is one of our core interests as a professional body.

“Your Excellency’s administration has also given the welfare of Oyo State citizens and residents, including civil servants, a top priority. There is no gainsaying the fact that your agenda is people-focused with a robust citizen’s complaints platform and prompt payment of salaries and pensions.

“Your 18 months as the Governor of Oyo State has, no doubt, convinced the citizens and everyone watching social and the economic development of the state that you were fully prepared to face the challenges of leadership.

“Your Excellency, we are greatly delighted with the opportunity of this visit to the Pacesetter State and to pay you this courtesy call as part of my working visit to Ibadan and the District Society of the Institute of Chartered Account of Nigeria.

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“I wish to specially express our deep appreciation to Your Excellency for the support that the Ibadan District Society of our institute has enjoyed from your administration and, most recently, the huge donation towards the building of the District Secretariat. We are grateful. We appreciate it. We thank you and that is one of the key reasons why we have come to pay you this courtesy visit.”

She appreciated the governor for employing chartered accountants in the service of the state and also appointing them into political offices, stating that the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinola Ojo, FCA and the Accountant-General of the state, Alhaji Garfa Bello, FCA, among others, are respected products of ICAN.

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Kidnappers Must Be Treated As Terrorists – Tinubu Declares

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In a stern address at a Ramadan dinner with members of the Federal judiciary, President Bola Tinubu declared that individuals involved in despicable crimes such as kidnapping must be treated as terrorists.

The President, speaking passionately, reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to defeating banditry, labeling those who engage in kidnapping as cowards incapable of confronting the might of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“We must treat kidnappers as terrorists,” President Tinubu asserted, as reported by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale. “They are cowardly. They have been degraded. They look for soft targets. They go to schools and kidnap children and cause disaffection. We must treat them equally as terrorists in order to get rid of them, and I promise you we will get rid of them.”

The President made these remarks during the dinner attended by serving and retired judicial officers, including notable figures such as former Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, and Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The event provided a platform for discussions on various issues, including the escalating security challenges faced by Nigeria, particularly in the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones.

Nigeria has grappled with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and oil theft, with the aforementioned regions experiencing a surge in insurgent and bandit attacks over the last decade.

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President Tinubu’s government has remained steadfast in its stance of not negotiating with bandits, despite the continued abduction of schoolchildren and residents for ransom.

The recent mass abduction of 137 schoolchildren from Kuriga in Kaduna State serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing security threats.

The President also addressed the need for judicial reforms and improved welfare for judicial officers.

Recognising the challenges faced by the judiciary, President Tinubu pledged to implement necessary reforms to enhance the welfare and working conditions of judicial officers. He emphasised the importance of fair compensation and support for the judiciary, acknowledging their pivotal role in upholding the respectability of the judicial arm of government.

In response, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, commended President Tinubu for his commitment to judicial reforms and for hosting the Ramadan dinner in honour of judicial officers.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also expressed gratitude to the President for forwarding the executive bill aimed at addressing the stagnant state of judges’ salaries and allowances since 2007.

President Tinubu’s declaration underscores the government’s resolve to combat insecurity and hold perpetrators of heinous crimes accountable.

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Abiodun Unveils 50% Discount Rice Scheme to Aid Ogun Residents

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Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has said that his administration will commence the sale of rice at half the market price across the state to alleviate the prevailing economic challenges in the country..

Addressing attendees at a special Iftar organised for the League of Imams and Alfas in Abeokuta, Governor Abiodun emphasised the importance of alleviating the economic burden on the public, particularly civil servants.

He stated, “We have decided to commence the sale of rice. We will be selling it at the rate of 50% of the actual price.”

Highlighting the significance of restoring the purchasing power of public servants, the governor affirmed that the initiative aims to counter the impact of inflation.

He asserted, “What we are trying to do is put them in the position they were before the inflation.”

The governor disclosed the establishment of a committee to oversee the distribution of rice to residents, ensuring transparency and accessibility.

He emphasised the sustainability of the programme, stating, “If we sell at the price it was sold before it becomes expensive, it will allow us to use the money to buy more and continue to sell.”

Also, the governor pledged free rice distribution to the less privileged segments of society, including the poor, elderly, and vulnerable individuals.

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Encouraging Muslims to uphold virtuous behavior beyond the fasting period, Governor Abiodun urged continuous prayers for the well-being of the state and the nation.

He reiterated his commitment to constructing a modern secretariat for the League of Imams and Alfas, promising a landmark facility that would set a standard for other states.

In recognition of his efforts towards peace and empowerment, Governor Abiodun was honoured with the title of Ambassador of Peace in Islam during the event.

Attendees also offered special prayers for the upcoming 72nd birthday celebration of President Bola Tinubu, scheduled for March 29th.

Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi, the Secretary of the League of Imams and Alfas, commended Governor Abiodun for his dedication to empowering Muslim youths and fostering goodwill within the community.

 

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Makinde’s Ibadan Circular Road Project, A Monumental Fraud – Says Oyo APC

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has cried out over alleged monumental fraud which the party claimed it discovered in the partial execution of the Ibadan Circular Road Project, warning the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde that the unabated corruption being perpetrated by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) could plunge the state into irredeemable doom in the nearest future.

At the commissioning ceremony which took place at Badeku Junction on Ife-Ibadan Express Road last Friday, Governor Makinde announced that the Ibadan Circular Road Project which, according to him, was the largest investment in Oyo state in 50 years had cost a whooping sum of N300billion.

Anambra state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, was the Special Guest of Honour at the event.

In a reaction which was contained in a statement issued today and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC queried the governor on the rationale behind the government’s redesign of the road project to occupy 425 meters as setbacks in both sides when the standard measure for any Trunk ‘A’ road does not exceed 60 meters across the globe.

“So, the ongoing indiscriminate demolition of properties of poor citizens is to serve the interest of the governor and his cronies”.

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“Many questions are begging for answers as far as this matter is concerned; how did Governor Makinde spend N300billion on less than a quarter of the whole project when his predecessor, late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, had awarded the contract for its design, construction, and completion as well as payment of compensation to those who might lose their properties to construction activities at a total cost of N70billion in June 2017 while the contractor had done about 20 percent of the work before he was sent away when the PDP government came on board in 2019?

“In July 2021, Governor Makinde announced that he had re-awarded the same project to another contractor at a total sum of N138.2billion but last Friday when a stretch representing about a quarter of the whole project was being commissioned (for suspended use by the public), the governor claimed the completed portion had gulped N300billion. The entire circular road project was designed to cover 110 kilometers and the whole world wants to know the fraction which has now cost N300billion to be done and also, how much the remaining three quarters would cost.

“Meanwhile, tongues would continue to wag on the issue of the large expanse of land forcefully acquired from the owners in the name of road construction. The fact remains that the people of the state cannot trust a government that is popular for land fraud as is the case in Ajia, Wofun, Bashorun, Bodija, and Land Lagos Express Road among others in the last four years. Those hapless landowners are accusing Governor Makinde of a surreptitious plan to seize their land and later sell it to some strangers from the East.

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“Another issue of concern is that of the supposed Agodi-Gate Junction Improvement project which has been identified as another conduit to siphon the resources of the state. All the state is doing is evacuating roadside traders, clearing some blocked drainages, laying light asphalt, and installing traffic lights, then later claiming several billions of naira as the cost of the exaggerated repair works on the popular junctions at Ibadan Civic Centre and Agodi-Gate.

“The sad thing is that the proceeds of these inflated contacts end up in private pockets without any trace. This kind of funds is what some governors in other states are using to rejig agriculture, fix the education sector, and address hardship among the masses among other things in their domains. Public primary and secondary schools are in dire need of subject teachers, virtually all the inner and access roads are in bad shape, no public tap water anywhere in the state, the population of the poor increases every day, and yet, Gov. Makinde mis-appropriates scarce resources to the detriment of the welfare of the people. This has to stop.” APC said.

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