LP urges FG to probe federal roads in Ogun
http://www.gatewaymail.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Senator-Ibikunle-Amosun..jpg
By Olusola AJIBIKE (Abeokuta)
NIGERIA: THE Ogun State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has counselled the Federal Government on the request by the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration asking for refund of the money it spent on federal roads in the state.
The LP urged the government at the centre to thoroughly investigate the amount, apparently to spot bogus claims, presented before any refund.
The party Chairman, Abayomi Arabambi, and the Secretary, Sunday Oginni, gave the caution while featuring on Sweet FM radio live programme, The Podium, in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The duo alleged that Amosun has been using the office of the Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who was nominated by him to become Minister, to seek refund on some roads that were yet to be rehabilitated.
Arabambi and Oginni, who recalled that Adeosun served as the Finance Commissioner during Amosun’s first term between 2011 and 2015, also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the road constructions in the state.
The opposition party leaders accused the Governor of unfairness, bias and insincerity in the award of road contracts and their locations, adding that the government inflated the money expected to be refunded by the federal government.
“On the issue of projects by Amosun’s government, there is a lot of insincerity and they are not fairly distributed,” they claimed, adding: “Most of the roads that the governor wants to get refund for have not been rehabilitated and that is why we are calling on the anti-corruption agencies to investigate this claims.”
“If the governor is doing these things in good faith and the federal government refuses to refund, I will personally lead a protest to Abuja, but because the governor nominated the Minister of Finance does not mean that everything should go”, Oginni said.
It would be recalled that of the N580.5 billion owed 16 states on repair of federal roads, Ogun State led with N222.977 billion while Akwa Ibom State followed with N75.9 billion.
The amount, the Amosun government said, was expended on 38 contracts for the construction of the federal roads from 2007 to date.
- For any reaction or to contact GatewayMail newspaper, Toronto, Canada email us at: info@gatewaymail.org, whatsapp or text message: +2348033186252 (no calls).
