Senate Bailout Probe: Aregbesola diverts Osun Bailout Funds-Civil group insists
resolution to probe the Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji
Aregbesola, a civil group, Civil Societies Coalition for the
Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) has insisted that Mr. Aregbesola
diverted over N16 billion out of the almost N35billion bailout funds
accrued to the State by the Federal Government through the Central
Bank of Nigeria(CBN) in 2015.
Besides, the CSCEOS and some Pensioners under the aegis of Good
Governance Support Group(GGSG) of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners(NUP)
in the State had earlier staged a protest in the State Capital, Osogbo
and Federal Capital Territory(FCT), Abuja, calling for the
investigation of financial impropriety and alleged diversion of the
bailout funds by Aregbesola led-State government.
It however alleged that the State under Aregbesola’s watch has been
the reference point of bad governance out of 36 states of the
federation since the present administration came on board in the
State, stressing that the governor had put the State into the economic
quagmire which made the once prosperous state not to perform her
social obligation to its workforce and retirees alike.
Speaking on the development, in a statement issued on Tuesday by the
CSCEOS’ Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman declared that the
State government under Aregbesola’s watch has shown unconcern attitude
to the plight of the workers and retirees alike by diverting the
bailout funds meant to pay the backlogs of workers’ salaries and
retirees pension due respectively.
The group also alleged that the recent Compulsory 3months Annual Leave
handed down on the Senior Officers of the State Civil Service from
Directorship cadre upward , was as a result of impeding financial
crimes investigations from Federal Government agencies which saddle
with such responsibility over alleged financial improprieties
including the diversion of bailout funds leveled against the State
government in order to ensure the non-availability of the appropriate
officers when the investigation team arrive the State for their proper
investigation.
Meanwhile, the State government circular letter with reference no SMD.
61/159 dated 2nd November, 2016 and signed by the Permanent Secretary,
Public Service Office, Mr. S. A Aina which reads in part: “However,
all officers who are to proceed on such leaves should be on standby in
case they are needed for sensitive official assignment like
preparation for 2017 budget estimates and ongoing staff screening
exercise. The affected officers are to hand over to the next immediate
officers to them for continuous of their official duties during their
vacations.
“It has been observed that many officers in the state public service
have not taken their annual vacation leaves in recent time, a
development that is having deleterious psychological effect on their
state of health and mental stability. It is the duty of the government
to address this abnormally in the overall public interest”.
It will be recalled that the Senate had directed its Committee on
State and Local Governments to proceed on investigative mission to
Osun State on how the Aregbesola administration spent the N35 billion
bailout funds disbursed to the State for the payment of workers’
salaries and Pension due and the Committee had slated to arrive the
State on December 7th, 2016.
While welcoming all the Financial Crimes investigative agencies and
team, including, the Senate Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Gumel and his
members to the State, the group urged them to ensure unbiased,
credible and thorough investigation into the alleged criminal
financial mismanagement of the funds accrued to the State from 2011 to
2016, including, diversion of bailout funds, leveled against Mr. Rauf
Aregbesola and his co-travelers, adding that the team to should make
their findings public for the sanctity of transparency and
accountability.
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