How Gov Oyetola Accepted Over N1bn Osun Assets And Rejected Liabilities
BY INWALOMHE DONALD
Governor Oyetola accepted Osun revenue assets of Monthly Internally Generated Revenue which Increased from less than ₦300 million in 2010 to ₦1.5b in 2018 under Rauf Aregbesola. The financial re-engineering strategy of Aregbesola administration led to a dramatic increase in the internally generated revenue (IGR) from N300 million to N700 million within a short period of time. This feat was achieved through automation of the traditional payment system viz-a-viz payment of salaries and collection of revenues. It is also note worthy that this increase came without the government increasing the taxes payable by the citizens of the state.
The IGR increased from N3.38 billion in 2010 to N8.51 billion in 2014. It increased from N8.88 billion in 2016 to N11.73 billion in 2017, representing percentage increase of 32.4. This corroborated the claim of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola. “The types of IGR the state depends mostly on are PAYE, MDAs revenue, direct assessment, road taxes and other taxes. Of the above, PAYE generated the highest revenue for the state. Why did Governor Oyetola not reverse financial re-engineering strategy of Aregbesola’s administration? Governor Oyetola is only interested in revenue and always rejects liabilities.
The Omoluabi schorlar bus and city transport schemes were launched with fanfare at freedom park in July 2014, some weeks to the gubernatorial election. The Omoluabi scholar bus is a victim of Governor Oyetola policy of rejecting liabilities and accepts assets. If the Governor Oyetola knows that there is federal government refund for Omoluabi bus, he will revive it today. Governor Oyetola is notorious for accepting revenue, assets and rejects liabilities. Governor Oyetola sees Omoluabi buses and other legacies of Aregbesola as threat to his popularity.
The Omoluabi scholar buses were procured by the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola-led administration, meant to convey public school students to their various schools across the state. But the buses have been abandoned and are currently parked at the premises of the State Ministry of Works and Transportation because it will further boost the popularity of Aregbesola in Osun. The buses for public transport system will break the monopoly of the private sector operators in the transport industry and end the current culture of impunity.
I remember that the State Government procured Omoluabi Scholar buses during the immediate past administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and that the Federal Government of Nigeria during the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan gave some buses to states to cushion the effects of fuel price increase in 2012. The buses should be put to use with immediate effect with proper supervision by relevant stakeholders like representatives of the government, civil societies.
It is clear that Governor Oyetola is working to undermine the values of governance in Osun as it relates to assets and liabilities. It is either he is mischievous or he has poor understanding of assets and liabilities. Governor Oyetola is clever when receiving, revenue, assets and mischievous when handling liabilities. Governor Oyetola only accepts assets and rejects liabilities. From a paltry N300 million a month about 7 years ago to N1.6 billion now, internally generated revenue (IGR) in the State of Osun which appear to have taken a quantum leap. Osun State has also been ranked as the second less miserable and poverty-ridden state in the country for the year 2017, according to a report by Financial Derivatives Company released on January 1, 2018. The report, titled ‘How the States Performed in 2017’, stated that Osun had the lowest net FAAC allocation in the country but was not delinquent in the payment of salary arrears. Osun has increased the IGR from a paltry N300 million monthly average in 2010 to more than N1 billion monthly average as at 2017.
Governor Oyetola cabinet always lament that the administration inherited external and domestic debts from the former administration of Rauf Aregbesola in the state. He has never praised Aregbesola for raising Osun IGR from N300 million to N1.7 billion for him. Governor Oyetola has received a huge refund from the Federal Government in three tranches and they stood at N11.9b, based on the project delivered by contractors. The refund was expended on four road projects inherited from the previous administration. It is shameful and hypocritical, the silence of the State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola on the refund for Federal Government roads constructed by his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola.
When it comes to liabilities, Governor Oyetola’s cabinet is dragging the previous administration on the issue of the controversial debt profile of the state, it is morally wrong for the governor and his cabinet members not to accept liabilities like the manner they accept the refund from Federal Government for the projects Aregbesola executed.
When it comes to liabilities, Oyetola group misleads the public that Aregbesola left only a debt profile for the Oyetola administration, it would have been fair and sincere to come out and state that the former governor also left assets that have turned over N11.9 billion or N13 billion on road infrastructure alone, according to the Finance and Works Commissioners. Oyetola’s group do not talk about 1.7 billion naira monthly Aregbesola made available for Oyetola to work.
In terms of liabilities, there are other funds that the Oyetola administration would have collected as refund for some of the Aregbesola’s interventions in health, agriculture, education and others. Governor Oyetola group condemn Aregbesola when there is no refund that comes to them.
As a matter of fact, the people of Osun know that the much-talked about rehabilitation of Primary Health Centres in the State was part of the assets left behind by Aregbesola. It is a known fact that the Aregbesola’s administration won the $20million Save One Million Lives (SOMIL), a World Bank Project, at the tale of his administration in 2018. The fund is currently being used by Oyetola administration to rehabilitate Primary Health Centres and presenting it as a major achievement without giving credit to Aregbesola. I challenge the state government to make full disclosure of amounts it has received on the projects done by Aregbesola in roads, health and other sectors.
It is obvious that the present administration in the State is reaping from the profits of the Aregbesola projects and programmes without the courage to disclose such because of the politics of hatred that it had instigated against his benefactor. The state governor should officially inform the people of the state of the total refunds by the Federal Government on the federal roads constructed by his predecessor.
I believe that there are other accruals to the state that the Oyetola administration is not disclosing because of the politics of bitterness the governor and his team are playing,” they added. The group noted that the development had seen the commissioners in the Oyetola cabinet quoting different figures, which had further put the government in an embarrassing situation.
Omoluabi buses have not gone into thin air. Why would a financially crippled state park buses for months? At least if these buses cannot convey students to schools again, they can be properly channelled to transportation business. Where are the Omoluabi buses? If they have not been sold, what are the plans of the government on these buses? Will these buses return to the roads or they have turned to properties of the ruling party? Will these buses continue to convey students to schools or they will be used during state functions or public officials’ ceremonies.
Inwalomhe Donald writes from Osogbo
