A civil society group in Osun State, Transparency and Accountability Group (TAG), has called for transparency and accountability in governance from government officials in the state.
The group, in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Com. Ayo Ologun, on Sunday, said Governor Gboyega Oyetola and serving federal lawmakers representing the state must answer to the allegations of violation of the state’s procurement law.
Recall that TAG had dragged the state government before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences (ICPC) seeking to probe the award of the flyover in the state to a contractor without any bidding process.
It also urged the anti-graft agencies to investigate the role of the state’s Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Remi Omowaye, in the contract award.
While expressing frustration at the government’s insistence on the flyover, Ologun vowed not to leave the people in the hands of a government that will not act right and an irredeemably dysfunctional opposition.
The statement partly read, “Following our core objectives, we are compelled to raise the following questions that are still left unanswered since the expiration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administration:
“The Government of Ogbeni Aregbesola in 2015, purchased a surveillance helicopter, purportedly to enhance the security of the State. We understand that the helicopter was purchased for something in the region of 500 million and while the true cost of the purchase was shrouded in secrecy, violating the State’s laws on procurement, it is more befuddling that the helicopter is today nowhere to be found. We love to ask for the umpteenth time on behalf of the State’s people, where is the surveillance helicopter purchased by Aregbesola in 2015?
“The same government of Ogbeni Aregbesola expended the State’s resources on the construction of the MKO Abiola Airport in Ido-Osun.
“Quoting a Premium Times investigation into the matter, ‘The contract was first awarded to Aeronautics Engineering at the cost of N4.5 billion in October 2012. Sometime later, it was reviewed to N11 billion to accommodate more features. Of this amount, the state government noted that it had spent N3.6 billion. Thereafter, the project got abandoned mid-way, prompting the need for a re-award.
“In October 2017, the State government revived its intention to continue the project but having entered a huge financial constraint, the Aregbesola administration opted for concession.’
“Till date, after saying it had done so much, the Ido Osun Aerodrome remains a bushy patch of land with nothing to show for the fancy renaming and expenditure of almost 4billion by the Aregbesola administration. If Osun people will not get the airport they paid billions for, where is their money?
“In the year 2013, the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola awarded the contract for the construction of Gbongan-Akoda road to RATCON. According to another investigative report by Premium Times, ‘The 30km road project, which includes the construction of a dual carriageway and bridge was awarded to RATCON Construction Company Ltd at N29.3 billion. It was proposed to be completed within 18 months.
“Eight years after the award of the contract, however, the progress of work cannot be said to be up to 35%. Recently, we discovered that the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had commenced rehabilitation works on same road, even while RATCON and the Aregbesola government are supposed to be telling us what has happened to the contract and the huge sum the State paid for it.”
TAG also revealed that it recently wrote letters to the three Senators representing the state in the Senate – Senators Adelere Oriolowo, Francis Fadahunsi and Ajibola Basiru.
“We are aware, that their allocations for the Zonal Intervention Projects of the year ended 2020 was around 228million. Their Constituents deserve to know, on what projects they expended such humongous sums and what impact they believed such projects would have on the host communities,” the statement added.
“While we are still expecting their responses, we are also going to be making the same request to Members of the House of Representatives who received ZIP allocation of about 114million in the same year. Our people deserve to know and we will continue to ask.”
The group, however, pledged to hold those in government accountable to the people.
