----- Forwarded by Femi Kupoluyi/NG/AFR/TCCC on 11/17/2010 08:15 PM -----
| From: | Mobolaji ALUKO <alukome@gmail.com> |
| To: | ekiti ekitigroups <ekitipanupo@yahoogroups.com>, Ekiti peoples voice Ekiti peoples voice <ekitipeoplesvoice@yahoogroups.com> |
| Date: | 11/08/2010 06:10 AM |
| Subject: | [EKITIPANUPO] FROM THE ARCHIVES: Meltdown: Opposition hits Oni over N5billion loan |
NEWS STAR
Meltdown: Opposition hits Oni over N5billion loan
Written by ROTIMI OJOMOYELA, Ado-Ekiti
Friday, 20 November 2009 23:49
Since his second coming as the Governor of Ekiti State, Engr. Segun Oni has left no one in the dark as to the parlous condition of the state’s economy. So, when the governor approached the State House of Assembly for permission to secure N5 billion loan, it did not come as a surprise to many.
News Star learnt that already hanging on the neck of the state is a debt of over N5 billion. And if approval for the N5 billion loan is granted by the Hon, Tunji Odeyemi-led House, that will bring the debt profile of the state to over N10 billion.
Before the economic meltdown, Ekiti usually raked in almost N3billion monthly from the federal allocation. But the fortune of the state has since changed in the second coming of Oni as allocation from the Federal Government dwindled by half. Hence, Governor Oni wasted no time in telling the people of Ekiti that the state is broke.
Today, the state generates less than a billion naira annually as internally generated revenue. Yet the state parades a workforce of about 35,000 with a wage bill of about N1.2 billion. This is aside several political appointees. As at today, there are several ongoing projects in Ekiti, especially capital projects such as the 25-road project totalling 736 kilometres at the cost of N42.1 billion of which only 201 kilometres had been completed with N10.3 billion already paid for the completed job.
To cushion the effect of the financial paucity in the state, Governor Oni in a letter sent to the House hinged his request for the loan on the biting effect of the global economic meltdown, explaining that after deducting the wage bill of N1.2 billion from the monthly allocation which now stands at N1.9billion nothing is left for capital project.
Political watchers in the state are of the opinion that the governor had bitten more than he could chew, describing the 25-road network at a go, not to talk of other projects which are under construction in the state, as grandiose and ambitious. They added that most of the roads and projects may end up being abandoned as a result of the sharp reduction in the federal allocation.
The governor readily agreed with this position when he declared in his letter to the House that it had become extremely difficult for his government to finance capital projects, stressing that the proposed loan would solely be used for capital projects. Oni told the lawmakers that five local banks in Ado-Ekiti had already sent in their proposal for the transaction, urging the Assembly to look into the matter with a view to providing more dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
As part of measure to cushion the effect of the dwindling economy, Governor Oni also sent another letter to the House on a Revised Appropriation Bill 2009 from the current N91 billion  to N52.1billion.
But the loan being sought from the banks has come under criticism, especially from the opposition. For instance, the Action Congress(AC) has described Oni as a spendthrift who was out to mortgage Ekiti future with unnecessary debt, saying the excuse given by the governor to borrow N5billion as a result of the global economic meltdown is spurious, lame and ludicrous.
In an interview with News Star, the Director of Communications of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organization, Yemi Adramodu, pointed out that the Oni-led PDP administration had within a span of 18 months garnered more than N100 billon from the federation account and within such spate of time had run the treasury dry.
He posited that: “It is curious for Mr. Segun Oni who branded himself Mr. ‘Due Process’ and ‘Governor Prudent’ to go cap-in-hand to the banks when he could not justify the resources that had accrued to the state since May 2007.â€
Adaramodu noted that the situation in Ekiti today is so parlous that the people could hardly notice the presence of a living government except through the siren blowing official vehicles.
According to Adaramodu, “The state is not experiencing economic meltdown, but executive moral meltdown which placed bitter greed above good deed. We demand how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  regime allocates the state’s usual earnings that it became difficult to pay workers’ salary as at when due.† He wondered why an administration that had earlier boasted of an improved internally generated revenue could not translate this plenty into rescue resources when it needed funds.
The AC also held that the PDP government is only looking for idle funds through the loan to nurse its bloated proposed State Executive Council of 40 person gang of plunderers. Adaramodu said the loan would also oil the consolidation of the PDP illicit stay in government.
The party accused Governor Oni of not telling the truth, saying “a government that is actually in genuine economic low time would not within a spate of three days withdrew more than 70 million naira to assist an ousted Senator who wish to return the Senate. We are equally aware that the PDP regime is daily pillaging the treasury through unfathomable expenditure under questionable heads of contingency and Senatorial rerun security.â€
The AC urged the House of Assembly not to accede to the demand of the Governor, describing it as a wicked request which would only plunge the state into further insolvency. “We equally advise the facilitating but unsuspecting banks to be careful in granting loans which would show them as saboteurs of the people’s collective will,†Adaramodu said.
Governor Oni has tackled the AC for its stance on the loan issue, describing the incessant criticism of his government by the party as a function of a failed desperate bid for power. He noted that the party and its leaders can never see the various achievements of his government because they have been blinded by their governorship ambition.
The governor through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, lampooned the AC for being incapacitated with their blinded desire for the governorship seat. According to him, “It is a pity that the political jobbers in the AC have been so blinded by their desperation for power that they can never see the unprecedented achievements recorded in various sectors of the state by the Oni-led administration†.
Oni averred that it is almost certain that they are not going to see the 201 kilometres of roads already completed, the over 500 kilometres that are ongoing, the newly constructed 1,039 classrooms and the 1,045 renovated ones, the 27,440 units of school furniture, the resuscitated Ikun Dairy Farm, Ekiti Kete Mass Transit Company, Fountain Motel, the new deputy governor’s office, secretariat, House of Assembly Complex, nine Government House Chalets being constructed and others buildings under construction. Oni said: “For wants of media relevance too, the double-faced political contractors in the AC must continue to feign ignorance to the fact that 11,150 eye glasses were distributed free to eye patients, 1,808 people operated upon free of charge and over N2 billion paid to pensioners owed since 1994 when Ekiti State was not even created.
“We just pity them and pray that they get their minds reconstructed soonest so that they can begin to think and act like normal human beings. As for us as a responsible government, we will remain focused and refused to be distracted by these enemies of Ekiti people who are only interested in holding the state down to justify their electoral failure.â€
Similarly, the Director for Communication and Strategy of the state PDP, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, came hard on the AC for being peopled with those who are suffering from poverty of ideas. Jackson said: “They are confused lots who believe that the heart of the great people of Ekiti could be won through petty propaganda. Ekiti people are beginning to see through them and they have equivocally through their votes in the rerun said no to second slavery. Segun Oni is the messiah and there is nothing the opposition would do that will change that fact, his hand is already on the plough to change the face of Ekiti for good.â€
__._,_.___
Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic
Messages in this topic (1)
Recent Activity:
New Members 5
Visit Your Group
EKITIPANUPO
"Indigenous Think-Tank and Intellectual Round-Table, Advocating Selfless Governance of Ekiti People, by Sincere Ekiti Indigenes, for Ekiti people"
URE EKITI A SOJU KETE RA O! AMIN!
Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use
.
__,_._,___
____________________________________________________________________________
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use, copy, distribute or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message (including any attachments).
No comments:
Post a Comment