N100bn infrastructural development plan followed due process — Osun Commissioner, Alimi

Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, has affirmed that the recently unveiled multi-billion naira infrastructural development plan strongly adhered to due process and procurement laws.

Alimi also maintained that the plan has strong sustainability components.

The commissioner made this clarification on Tuesday while playing host to the leadership of Coalition for Good Governance.

While insisting that the Adeleke administration complied with provisions of the law in the design and the ongoing implementation of the infra plan, Alimi noted that no procurement law was violated.

“Permit me to clarify that all projects listed in the plan were subjected to due process requirements. We invite the public to note that before the unveiling of the plan, the Ministry of Works has been implementing some intervention programmes across the state using direct labour.

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“Those projects listed by Mr Governor are not covered by those intervention programmes. The infra plans are contractual projects whose advertisements for bid submissions are already published in compliance with due process.

“The public is also informed that the state has a supplementary budget preparatory to the submission of the 2024 appropriation proposals to the House of Assembly by Mr Governor. My point is that nothing is being done outside the law in line with Mr Governor’s mantra of due process, rule of law and fear of God.”

Reireiterating that the projects are to be executed without loans from any financial institutions, Alimi urged opposing interests in the state to seek more information by applying the Freedom of Information Act.

“It is also important to at this point urge any group or individuals to seek more information if they so wish by applying the Freedom of Information Act. This administration is committed to free flow of information under an open governance model.

“We want to reiterate that the multi-billion naira infra plan is to be executed without loans from financial institutions. We affirm as the State Chairman of the PDP had said that the fund will come from savings, blockage of revenue leakages, expanded revenue base, refunds from federation accounts and reduction of the cost of governance. The plan is sustainable with a multiplier effect on the state economy.”

Newspot recalls that both the Osun All Progressives Congress, APC and a social accountability group, The Osun Masterminds (TOM), have called out the state government on the infrastructural development plan.

While the Osun APC accused the Adeleke administration of deliberately intending to plunge the state into financial crisis, it also added that the plan has an interior notice to fleece the state of scarce resources.

TOM on its part, threatened to drag the state government to anti-graft agencies because it feared that Osun State may return to her days of excessive borrowing and financial recklessness.

It also urged the agencies to commence a thorough probe of recent financial interventions given to states to ensure that such interventions reach the intended beneficiaries.