Former Head of Service (HOS) in Osun state, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi has
revealed that the state finances was not as bad as being painted by the
state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola.
Akinwusi who retired as HOS in 2012 after serving in Aregbesola’s
government for almost two years in a statement released in Osogbo at the
weekend and titled, “Many lies of a dishonest government” made available
details of funds allocation from the federation account to the state
between November 2010 and December 2014.
The ex-HOS disclosure was coming at a time when the state government was
battling over payment of salaries of the state workers and pension of the
retirees.
According to him, “Leaders by all standards are supposed to be good role
models, mentors and indeed heroes for the younger ones. That is why we
encourage our children to read books and autobiographies of great leaders
to guide their mental, social and intellectual developments. “But when
against this norm our leaders are epitomes of deceit, lies and unstable
character, I fear what these young ones will learn and copy of their
lives.
Akinwusi explained that the figures released by Aregbesola to members of
the state House of Assembly on the position of the economy of our state
were not only bogus “but they were criminally deceitful.
“This government came on board in November, 2010; I will therefore give
details of the income and expenditure as available on-line, especially
from the Federation Account compared with what was presented to our state
representatives.
He said the total funds from the federation account between November 2010
and December was N54.2 billion as against a sum of N29.9bn our governor
declared to Osun State House of Assembly (OSHA).
The ex-HOS disclosed that Aregbesola declared a sum of N31.6billion for
2012 but the actual amount of fund received was N47.8billion while in 2013
the state got N44.7 as against a sum of N26.4bn was declared by the
governor to Assembly.
In 2014, “Although there was a missing record of one month, we still had
on the strength of the eleven (11) months – N36.7billion, while our
governor declared only N19.3billion for the whole year.
“By the conclusion of the governor we received only N108.3bn all excluding
our IGR, as against a total sum of N183.4bn excluding one month the period
under review”.
“The gimmick of salaries of workers is fraught with many manipulations of
figures as usual. The total staff strength of our workforce is below
twenty-one (21,000). This is because over one-third of the workforce
voluntarily retired in December, 2012.
“From grapevine, it is being speculated that since civil servants are no
longer allowed to do their statutory duties, that is preparation of
salaries, a number of fictitious names had found their way into the
payroll of government, even people that have never been to Osun State.
“The figure of N3.6billion as salaries is spurious and over inflated, I
challenge anyone that the best the salary bill could be cannot be more
than N2.2billion.
“More importantly, besides the regular monthly allocation from the
federation account, the followings also accrued to government coffers,
Excess Crude Oil N67.1 billion, Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) N43.6
billion, SURE-P N14.4 billion and SUBEB N13.9 billion.
Akinwusi explained that there were other interventionist programmes
including UNICEF, Multinational donations and MDG releases and others.
On the issue of loan, the former HOS said, “There has been a criminal
deceit and lack of transparency in this matter. For example the public
was made to believe that Islamic sukuk never attracted any interest.
“Today we are to pay a sum of N25.5billion to service a loan of
N11.5billion. So also are some other loans procured by this government
with a moratorium of 5-6years meaning that it would be due for repayment
after 2020 and beyond.
“The issue of our debilitating debt profile honestly contradicts the
quantum of resources that had flown into the government coffers, when
viewed against the background of the various allocations to the state and
local governments. Today, the entire allocations for the two tiers of
governments are solely controlled by the governor.
Local government funds do not get to them, most are disbursed by the
governor, while the so called Executives Secretaries merely endorse
resolutions prepared for them to regularize the illegalities. No records,
both at the state and local government levels about the disbursement of
our releases for SURE-P and ECA funds.
“Let us ask the where about of N17.5billion borrowed for the dualisation
of Osogbo to Ila-Odo, as corroborated by the Bank for infrastructure to
date. These items like many others were replicated in the N60billion
bond, yet all these projects have been abandoned; it on record that
N9.7billion would be expended on the phony urban renewal project, all to
date moribund.
“The Ido-Osun Airport project is another nagging matter, for which
billions have been expended so far, and deceitful statements made about
its completion in the media. The state government has no budget, this is
because there is no adherence to the rules and norms of budget cycle.
“Contrary to the norm, there is nothing like Treasury Board for the
preparation of this all important policy document, instead a kangaroo –
meeting called bilateral talk is in vogue since the inception of the
administration. That is why we spend over 60% in excess of our actual
revenue. For example in 2011 a sum of N102bn was budgeted, increased to
N146bn in 2012, to N235bn for 2013 and 2014 and N201bn for 2015. These
figures were without recourse to budget performances in the previous
years.
“The monthly FAC composed of eight (8) principal officers of government
has been cancelled; therefore only the governor and his commissioner for
Finance know the income and expenditure of government and thus our total
debt profile. Not even the Accountant General or Permanent Secretary
Finance have an inkling of this crucial function of government”, he added.