OSOGBO -20/10/2024 – osunstate.gov.ng

Osun State Government has again debunked fake news being peddled by the opposition alleging that Governor Ademola Adeleke is collecting security votes, asserting once again that the Governor is not, has and will not collect security votes in line with his avowed declaration on assumption of office.

The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi made the clarification in a statement on Sunday, explaining that the opposition is spreading falsehood because it has no hole to pick in the superlative performance of the state governor.

According to the Commissioner, the opposition is either ignorant or mischievous by deliberately misinterpreting state spending to support security operations and services by security agencies such as the police, Department of State Services among others.

“The state government statutorily supports security agencies when they conduct security operations on a regular basis such as quelling communal violence, joint security operations in troubled spots as well as deployment during mass demonstrations.

“Such expenditures are formally accounted for in line with the due approval process. The state support in such situations are referred to as expenditure for security services as different from the concept of security vote which does not pass through formal due approval process.

“The opposition needs to be educated that there are differences between security votes and security services. Security votes are widely known as slush funds expended at the discretion of the Chief Executive without passing through formal accountability and due processes.

“In Osun state, Governor Adeleke is not, has not and will not take such security votes. Mr Governor is however committed to supporting the security agencies with their logistics needs under security services expenditure which are fully applied for and processed through the office of Special Adviser to the Governor on Security matters.

The present administration in Osun State therefore wishes to state, emphatically that, Governor Adeleke approves funds to address security issues only when occasion demands for such and there are always record to justify such expenditure as opposed to being latched on as a free money to be expended at will by any sitting Governor as was the tradition with the past administration.

It must be stated that in his almost two years old administration, Mr Governor’s probity and accountability is remarkably unbeatable in the history of Osun State and by extension, in the Nigerian federation.

While the present administration wishes to state for the umpteenth time, that it is not averse to being criticized constructively when the need arises by the right and unbiased free minded members of the public, it is however, incongruent for a person or group of persons to throw cautions to the wind in going about it as exemplified by some opposition operatives.

E Signed
Oluomo Kolapo Alimi
Honourable commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment.

PROTOCOLS

It is with gratitude to God and the universe that I warmly welcome you to this commissioning event. This is another key milestone in our administration’s drive to upgrade the capital city of Osun State.

I appreciate the presence of my dear brother, Governor Seyi Makinde, to witness the outcome of good governance in the state of the living spring. Today’s gathering is another manifestation of the strong bond of brotherhood between Oyo and Osun states. Your Excellency, welcome to the cradle of Yoruba race, Osun state.

I must also pay tribute to my brother, former Governor Rauf Aregbesola. His administration started the Osogbo Ring Road project before it was abandoned by the previous government. Today, Ogbeni Aregbesola must be happy at the final completion of the project.

At the inception of our administration, I had promised my God and the people of Osun state that I would not abandon projects inherited from my predecessors. It is my considered view that public projects are public assets which must not be wasted on the altar of political vendetta. I followed my conviction by directing my team to compile a list of all abandoned projects and submit a plan of completion.

Based on the plan of action, our administration has completed several projects across the sectors. In under 100 days, we completed the Osogbo – Ikirun road dualisation with full solar street lights. It has been open to use since then. We expanded the inherited reconstruction of Iwo – Osogbo road to include dualisation of a major internal road inside Iwo. We completed several abandoned projects inside Osun State University including the one at Isale Osun which was neglected for almost eleven years.

Aside from our resolve to complete inherited projects, the road we are about to commission has important significance for the economic well being and safety of our people. Before our assumption of office, we had reports of multiple fatal accidents and traffic gridlock on this road. Many voters actually demanded completion of the road during our electioneering campaign.

I thank God that today we fulfill our promises to the people of our dear State. The completion of the dualisation within record time has expanded economic growth of the capital city. It will save our people from untimely death and injuries.

I must however advise against reckless driving and breaching of driving safety protocols. We are recording increasing accidents on many freshly completed roads due to over – speeding and one way driving. I appeal to road users to be safety conscious.

I am therefore directing security agencies and road safety authorities to enforce safety codes on our brand new roads. The Ministry of Works should also consider the possibility of constructing speed breakers where necessary. We must secure our people as we are providing better roads and services across the sectors.

As I earlier promised our people, the commissioning of several completed projects continues to mark our two years in office. From over 150 kilometers of completed roads, the commissioning crew moves to Iresi town next week to be followed by other towns.

I reassure Osun people that our administration will not relent in our desire to satisfy their developmental needs. We will not relent until our infrastructure is fixed and until collective prosperity is achieved in our dear state.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to invite my brother, Governor Seyi Makinde to commission this completed dualisation project.

I thank you for listening.

HE, GOVERNOR ADEMOLA ADELEKE,
DECEMBER 4TH, 2024.