Kazeem Badmus
THE transition committee of the State of Osun Governor-elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, has again accused Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of embarking on malicious recruitment and award of contracts in his efforts to bankrupt and plunge the state into a deeper financial mess.
According to the transition committee, Oyetola’s administration has surreptitiously embarked on the recruitment of 500 health workers.
The committee in a release signed by the Chairman, Media Sub-Committee, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, said the recruitment was contrary to rules and extant practices, adding that those being recruited are mostly members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The committee also accused the governor of awarding multi-billion naira capital projects without tenders and compliance with procurement law.
It added that the awards are designed to blackmail the incoming government and mainly handed over to known cronies of the Governor.
The committee said it had reports that more than three of such contracts have been awarded in the last two weeks.
The release which was made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday reads in part: “We learnt reliably that the outgoing administration has commenced recruitment of 500 health workers through the Executive Secretary for Osun State Primary Health Care Board whose appointment was also recently done through the back door despite lack of requisite qualifications.
“The recruitment shrouded in mystery is a platform for a deliberate ploy to increase the state payroll and complicate efforts to address the parlous state of the state’s finance.
“Just a few weeks ago, the outgoing administration embarked on sudden employment of 1,500 teachers hiding under the guise of filling vacancies while in real fact, it was part of a broader plan to financially incapacitate the incoming administration. As usual, the exercise is a job for the boys, lacking the necessary manpower planning and development strategies.
“To confirm the sinister motive, the outgoing Governor has also been awarding multi-billion naira capital projects without tenders and compliance with procurement law. The awards designed to blackmail the incoming government are mainly handed over to known cronies of the Governor with reports confirming that more than three of such contracts have been awarded in the last two weeks.
“We are thus not surprised when we learned of the ongoing recruitment of another set of medical workers contrary to rules and extant practices. Insiders confirm that those being recruited are mostly APC members without regards to qualifications and their suitability”.
The transition committee appealed to the people of the State not to fall prey, saying all recruitments effected in breach of manpower planning strategy and whose sole goal is to lay time bomb for the newly elected Governor won’t stand.
“We urge people of Osun state not to fall prey to the latest antics of the Oyetola team. All recruitments effected in breach of manpower planning strategy and whose sole goal is to laytime bomb for newly elected Governor can’t stand”, it said.