The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised the state government to be more concerned about the welfare of the state than embarking on the looting of the state treasury.
The advice was contained in a statement by the opposition party, signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, who alleged the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, of illegally pilfering the state resources under phony projects and activities by the family of the governor.
Peretei who specifically asked Akeredolu to pay the gratuity of retired staff of the state-owned newspaper outfit, Owena Press and the 13 salary arrears of the staff of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO).
The PDP also alleged the wife of the governor, his son, Babajide, daughter, Teniola and her husband, Michael Olatunde of allegedly pilfering the resources of the state under phony projects and activities, alleging that about 13 companies were registered by the first family to receive contracts from state ministries and departments.
He disclosed that checks from the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, showed that all the companies have the same or related Directors and Secretary, saying the companies have been used by the first family to receive contracts from state ministries and departments.
However, the state government while speaking through the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the opposition party was engaging in frivolous criticism of the present administration in the state.
Okogo said: “A responsible Government does not descend into the arena of perfidy and frivolities triggered by idleness, to trade words. This is not the first time the opposition party will cry in this mindless manner.
“Of course, you don’t except a child not to cry when flogged. The PDP must be seen to be saying something, at least. We can only sympathise with them even though we won’t share in their self-inflicted pains.”
But Peretei alleged and maintained that “a few months ago, the Ondo State government placed embargo on all forestry activities. This was done so as to hand over all forest operations to Babajide Akeredolu. When the operations were restored, a new sherif was already in town. One Ilesanmi Brainbox was mandated to collect a handsome sum of five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000.00) from the operators everyday and paid directly to Babajide’s bank account.
“Even if Ondo State was a territory conquered by Akeredolu, he should have acted with some modicum of decency. The widely advertised and celebrated Sunshine Countdown Concert was anchored by Micheal Olatunde, Akeredolu’s son-in law. The Ondo State Ministry of Information parted with a whooping five hundred million Naira of taxpayers money.
“There was no committee set up for the event, no State Executive Council approval was gotten for it. Just hurriedly put together to patronise Teniola, Akeredolu’s daughter. Everywhere you look in the state, what you find is Akeredolu, his wife, children and their spouses as though on rampage, looting blindly.
“The world of grandeur and opulence in which these people live is in direct contrast with the lives of the people of the state. Retired workers of the state owned Owena Press Limited, publishers of Hope Newspaper, had recently in an emotional letter addressed to the Governor over the weekend, appealed for the payment of their gratuity.
“Around the same time, workers of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo took to the streets, protesting 13 months of unpaid salaries. The workers lamented that, while they were hungry, Akeredolu and his cronies were erecting new buildings in Owo, right before their eyes. In the same South West Nigeria, Oyo State Workers got thirteenth month pay in the month of December. The explanations of lean resources of the state can no longer suffice.
“Mrs Betty A§keredolu, on her part has ensured that, no board is constituted for the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC). All the BEMORE and FOWOSO projects are fully funded by OSOPADEC. Short of directly signing cheques, Betty is the Alpha and Omega of OSOPADEC.
“The Commission has not executed a single project since the inception of the Akeredolu tenure. While the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State contributed N18 million for third FOWOSO Summit last month, OSOPADEC paid Betty more than N50million Naira for the summit.
“Only a heartless person can undertake this kind of blind looting in the face of penury that is everywhere. The greed displayed by the first family and their cohorts is only reminiscent of Ali Baba and the forty thieves, a folk tale from the One Thousand and One Nights.”
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Be more concerned with people’s welfare, Ondo PDP tells Akeredolu
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