Osun LG Sure-P fund not diverted, says govt

The Osun State Government has said the Sure-P fund belonging to the local government areas in the state remains intact and safe.

This was contained in a statement signed by Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson for the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, in reaction to an earlier statement that circulated on social media.

In the said statement, Adeleke was accused of diverting the Sure-P fund to buy bags of rice for members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

But the government dismissed the allegation that only PDP members would benefit from the rice distribution and that the Sure-P fund was diverted, describing it as a “shameless lie.”

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On the alleged diverted fund, the government further said, “It is also a pure falsehood to claim Heads of Local Government Administration are denied their entitlements. All issues pertaining to the entitlements of public servants are being attended to by the relevant offices.

“Osun people can bear witness that the family of His Excellency has consistently distributed food items to Osun people for the past several decades. The philanthropic family with one of its own as the state governor is determined to elevate the tradition of giving as a state policy. 

“We, therefore, assure the Osun people that the Adeleke administration is not a thieving government and will not in any way follow the path of the past. All actions so far taken and that will be taken are in line with due process, state regulations, and extant laws.”

Meanwhile, the government has unveiled a committee comprising representatives of the League of Imams; the Christian Association of Nigeria, Traditional Religion, the Peoples Democratic Party, the All Progressives Congress, and pensioners that will oversee the distribution of rice to the people of the state.

A statement by Rasheed noted that 40 bags of rice would be distributed per ward, saying a bag was purchased at the rate of N32,000.

It further read, “The rice for state distribution were purchased from ‘Egbe Olowo’ of Osun State at N36,000 per bag, a price still below similar transaction by the previous government.”