By Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi
Leaders by all standards as supposed to be good role models, mentors and indeed heroes for the younger ones. That is why we encourage our children to read books and autobiographies of great leaders to guide their mental, social and intellectual developments. But when against this norm our leaders are epitomes of deceit, lies and unstable character, I fear what these young ones will learn and copy of their lives.
Recently, a governor addressed the state House of Assembly on the position of the economy of our state. Not only that the figures given were bogus, but they were criminally deceitful. This government came on board in November, 2010; I will therefore give details of the income and expenditure as available on-line, especially from the Federation Account compared with what was presented to our state representatives.
2010
Federal Allocation
MONTH AMOUNT
November, 2010 N3, 359,574,999
December, 2010 N2, 643,527,897
Total Approximate N6.0bn
2011
MONTH AMOUNT
January, 2011 N2, 696,765,229
February, 2011 N2, 645,955,515
March, 2011 N2, 777,616,461
April, 2011 N2, 885,614,779
May, 2011 N3, 805,132,254
June, 2011 N6, 642,100,744
July, 2011 N3, 968,379,222
August, 2011 N3, 875,166,548
September, 2011 N4, 536,205,850
October, 2011 N6, 151,023,296
November, 2011 N3, 805,409,418
December, 2011 N4, 396,762,996
Total Approx N48.2bn
Against a sum of N29.9bn our governor declared to Osun State House of Assembly (OSHA).
2012
MONTH AMOUNT
January, 2012 N3, 894,581,054
February, 2012 N4, 842,019,095
March, 2012 N3, 921,855,981
April, 2012 N3, 614,243,600
May, 2012 N3, 618,147,287
June, 2012 N3, 446,176,188
July, 2012 N4, 451,689,936
August, 2012 N3, 473,346,273
September, 2012 N2, 678,278,414
October, 2012 N4, 133,057,528
November, 2012 N5, 610,314,299
December, 2012 N4, 114,871,121
Total Approx. N47.8bn
Our governor declared a sum of N31.6bn.
2013
MONTH AMOUNT
January, 2013 N3, 291,209,812
February, 2013 N5, 064,089,701
March, 2013 N4, 204,314,757
April, 2013 N4, 294,238,309
May, 2013 N4, 063,536,687
June, 2013 N4, 353,931,533
July, 2013 N3, 271,484,073
August, 2013 N3, 637,472,918
September, 2013 N2, 955,122,740
October, 2013 N3, 479,416,049
November, 2013 N3, 348,427,615
December, 2013 N2, 694,382,073
Total Approx N44.7bn
A sum of N26.4bn was declared by our governor to Osun State House of Assembly.
2014
MONTH AMOUNT
January, 2014 N3, 050,792,396
February, 2014 N3, 014,708,843
March, 2014 N3, 019,480,006
April, 2014 N2, 838,749,560
May, 2014 N4, 131,453,072
June, 2014 N3, 557,937,064
July, 2014 N3, 557,937,063
August, 2014 N3, 047,503,618
September, 2014 Nil
October, 2014 N2, 773,853,335
November, 2014 N2, 778,332,759
December, 2014 N2, 479,474,912
Total Approx N36.7bn
Although there was a missing record of one (1) month, we still had on the strength of the eleven (11) months – N36.7bn, while our governor declared only N19.3bn for the whole year. By the conclusion of the governor we received only N108.3bn all excluding our IGR, as against a total sum of N183.4bn excluding one (1) month the period under review.
The gimmick of salaries of workers is fraught with many manipulations of figures as usual. The total staff strength of our workforce is below twenty-one (21,000). This is because over 1/3 of the workforce voluntarily retired in December, 2012.
From grapevine, it is being speculated that since civil servants are no longer allowed to do their statutory duties, that is preparation of salaries, a number of fictitious names had found their way into the payroll of government, even people that have never been to Osun State. The figure of N3.6bn as salaries is spurious and over inflated, I challenge anyone that the best the salary bill could be cannot be more than N2.2bn.
More importantly, besides the regular monthly allocation from the federation account, the followings also accrued to government coffers:-
(i) ECA – N61.7bn
(ii) IGR – N43.6n
(iii) SURE-P- N14.4bn
(iv) SUBEB- N13.9bn
There are other interventionist programs including UNICEF, Multinational donations and MDG releases etc.
Loan Profile
There has been a criminal deceit and lack of transparency in this matter. For example the public was made to believe that SUKUK never attracted any interest. Today we are to pay a sum of N25.5bn to service a loan of N11.5bn. So also are some other loans procured by this government with a moratorium of 5-6years meaning that it would be due for repayment after 2020 and beyond?
All these portend grave financial stress for the generations unborn when we remember that the loan obtained in the old Oyo State by Chief Bola Ige for water supply to Ilesa and Ejigbo since 1981 is still being serviced. Loans were obtained for some projects, yet the projects are now abandoned. Where is our money?
The issue of our debilitating debt profile honestly contradicts the quantum of resources that had flown into the government coffers, when viewed against the background of the various allocations to the state and local governments. Today, the entire allocations for the two (2) tiers of governments are solely controlled by the governor.
Local government funds do not get to them, most are disbursed by the governor, while the so called Executives Secretaries merely endorse resolutions prepared for them to regularize the illegalities. No records, both at the state and local government levels about the disbursement of our releases for SURE-P and ECA funds.
Let us ask the where about of N17.5bn borrowed for the dualisation of Osogbo to Ila-Odo, as corroborated by the Bank for infrastructure to date.
These items like many others were replicated in the N60bn bond, yet all these projects have been abandoned; it on record that N9.7bn would be expended on the phony urban renewal project, all to date moribund. The Ido-Osun Airport project is another nagging matter, for which billions have been expended so far, and deceitful statements made about its completion in the media. The state government has no budget; this is because there is no adherence to the rules and norms of budget cycle.
Contrary to the norm, there is nothing like Treasury Board for the preparation of this all important policy document, instead a kangaroo – meeting called bilateral talk is in vogue since the inception of the administration.
That is why we spend over 60% in excess of our actual revenue. For example in 2011 a sum of N102bn was budgeted, increased to N146bn in 2012, to N235bn for 2013 and 2014 and N201bn for 2015. These figures were without recourse to budget performances in the previous years. The monthly FAC composed of eight (8) principal officers of government has been cancelled; therefore only the governor and his commissioner for Finance know the income and expenditure of government and thus our total debt profile. Not even the Accountant General or Permanent Secretary Finance has an inkling of these crucial functions of government.
