The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment in Osun State, Kolapo Alimi has said the state government is ready to take legal action against a former commissioner in the state, Prince Bayo Adeleke popularly known as Banik over an unexecuted contract by his company.
Alimi alleged that Adeleke, during the administration of former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola was awarded a contract in sum of N57 million under Toniade Investment, a subsidiary of Banik Investment Ltd but failed to execute it. He further alleged that the then government paid the said sum into the account bearing his name.
The commissioner made this known while responding to questions on Fresh FM Osogbo programme “Agbami Oselu” on Sunday, where he was a guest alongside a chieftain of the APC, Prince Bayo Adeleke popularly known as Banik.
Earlier, Prince Adeleke had said the Peoples Democratic Party administration would be sent packing in the next governorship election over the poor performance of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
He enumerated some areas the APC felt that Governor Adeleke had failed Osun citizens including “exceeding the N13,048, 326,180.00bn earmarked for Governor’s office entertainment while other critical sectors begged for attention.
He said: “The sum N3,262,81,545 was spent on Governor’s food and drinks in three months but the government has spent far above that the budget, spending an additional 2,000,000,000bn making a total of #5,252,398,49.28k, How did they spend that much on only food and drinks?
“The budget allocated for youth and sport was N44,300,965,430 in the first quarter they ought to have spent N1,075,241,357.50bn but they only spent N12 million so far.
“On gratuity, the sum of N3,500,000,000 was allocated as budget, in the first quarter they ought to have paid N875,000,000 but the government only paid N200,000,000. This same amount is what we paid for local government when we were in government
“The sum of N3,796,823,480 was benchmarked for agriculture in one year, however in the first quarter they ought to spend N949,205,870 but they only spent N164,900,000.
“On Rural development, they budgeted N7.5bn for one year, quarterly N1.8bn now the quarter is over, they only spent N167m.
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“Women, Children, and Social Affairs budget was N2,460,000,000, in the first quarter they ought to have spent N615m but they only spent just N40m. That is a 6.51% performance level with the huge allocation received from the federal government without borrowing.
“On Primary Health Care N1,608,000,000 was budgeted, in the first quarter they ought to spend N402,000,000 but they only spent just N35,000,000 on health.
“On Water Resources #8.1,000,000bn was the budget. In the first quarter they ought to spend N2,000,000, 000,000 but they only spent just N211,000,000.
Speaking further, Banik noted that, “The administration of Governor Adeleke pays lip service to the guaranteeing of fundamental human rights. They used the police to harass our chieftain over frivolous allegations. Akin Adeyi was molested and is still being molested for calling Governor Adeleke names “Obente”. These are the reasons he would be sent packing in the next election.”
Responding to the allegations, Alimi, who described his claims on the budget as “illiteracy” noted that budget performance can only be gauged at the end of the year.
He said: “Budget allocation is a proposal, not an actual money. Budget performance is gauged at the end of the year. The money is coming in bits and we do not spend without budgeting for it, we only focus on the critical sectors. Banik is only trying to fish out faults in Adeleke’s administration.
“On health, he spoke about, we have an ongoing infrastructure project plan where we have spent a lot on the health centres. On the Governor’s office budget, the money earmarked is not for food. They are meant for agencies under the Governor’s office. Only a clueless opposition will monitor the amount spent in the governor’s office. It was also the same during Oyetola’s administration.
“On fundamental human rights, Banik is not in the right position to say it because he started it.
“Banik collected almost N57m in 2006 to execute a project but he did not deliver it. The contract was awarded to Toniade Investment, a division of Banik Investment and over N57m was paid into his account. The issue was raised by the SA on political matters, Muniru Raji but Banik wrote a petition against Muniru and he was arrested and charged to court.
“I am making it known to Osun citizens that the government will soon charge him to court.”
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
