Adeleke reaffirms commitment to transparency in security spending

Osun Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has again reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustain security services through the budgetary process, declaring, “under my watch, we don’t operate security votes in the sense Nigerians understand it.”

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed in Osogbo, the Governor said Osun has no slush fund which many Nigerians regard as ‘security votes’, noting that our expenditure on security services is undertaken within the confines of the public finance law and regulations.

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He listed such security expenditures as operational support for security agencies operating in the state, funding of operations to quell communal crises, support for communal peace activities, and funding of the state security outfit, Amotekun, among others.

Such expenditures, the Governor posited further, are processed within the context of statutory approval process, which involves raising memos and compliance with government payment process.

“I am proud to declare that the Osun state government under my watch does not operate a slush fund that our media friends call security votes. Our security needs are met through the approval process. I face resistance over the policy, but I stick to it even at great cost.

“My motivation for insisting on the policy was the situation I encountered on the ground in November 2022. I believe Osun needs every kobo to meet her numerous developmental challenges. Our earnings from FAAC allocations and internally generated revenues are channeled to key sectoral projects from infrastructure to agriculture to health, among others.

“We also target payment of workers’ emolument, pensions and outstanding salary debt. We maintain a delicate balance on expenditure across human and infra sectors and within less than three years, we have good records widely verified by local and national stakeholders”, the Governor submitted.

The Governor said his administration demonstrated foresight early enough when it created a special project account where unexpected inflows from FAAC are saved, pointing out that the initiative is a shock absorber and a smart way to ensure completion of ongoing infra projects in the state.

While expecting early resolution of the Osun local government fund seizure, Governor Adeleke was quoted as reassuring Osun people and other stakeholders that his administration remains focused and committed to completing its human and capital projects on schedule.