Representatives of Political office holders in the immediate past administration of Senator Ajimobi have implored the present administration to face task of governance instead of maligning his predecessor.
The former office holders who were led by immediate past commissioners of Education, Professor, Niyi Olowofela made the call at a news conference held at Iyaganku, press centre.
Professor Olowofela alleged that there was a deliberate smear campaign against the immediate past administration in the State by the apologists of the present administration.
This according to him is to destroy the legacies of the past administration and to malign it.
Disabusing the mind of the public on the allegation that the former administration awarded Iseyin-Moniya-Oyo road to a faceless contractor at a cost of ₦2billion per kilometre, the former commissioner noted that the project was contracted to M. S Oladiran Engineering Services, Nigeria Limited.
Clearing the air on alleged ₦150 billion debt Profile Professor Olowofela maintained that the information was to dent the image of the past administration.
“Not only that, the present administration had also falsely alleged that the State had a debt profile of ₦150 billion, which has been confirmed to be incorrect. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Debt Management Office (DMO), put a lie to this.
Total Domestic Borrowings at end of the Ajimobi Administration was just over ₦90 billion, of which about 35% constituted Provisions for arrears of Pensions and Gratuties of Civil Servants.
The remainder of the amount was made up of Bailouts and Interventions extended by the Federal Government to all States of Nigeria, to assist Government alleviate pains experienced by the populace as a result of the Global Economic depression and the fall in Oil prices.
These include ₦18 billion Salary Bail out of 2015, ₦10 billion Infrastructure Loan and ₦18 billion Budget Support Facility The Debt amount also included a ₦4.3 billion provision for salary, which had since been paid.
The actual Government borrowings were the State Capital Bond of ₦3 billion (almost since paid down) and ₦8 billion Commercial Bank Loan (which had been converted into a Bond by the Federal Government).
Going further, a bulk of the debt is tied to the $200 million (₦72 billion) loan from the World Bank which makes up the so- called debt profile
According to Professor Niyi Olowofela, Before the end of the past administration on May 29th, the World Bank had only disbursed just over 25% of the Loan. Disbursements are made only after Clearances and “No Objection’s” are issued under the most stringent World Bank Guidelines and only to Project Milestones.
On allegations that vehicles have been recovered from some aides and political office holders, the spokesperson challenged the current administration to come up with names of people alleged to have taken vehicles away illegally or without justification.
He acknowledged that some cars were taken away saying it was the prevailing practice since Democratic dispensation.
While noting that some government apologists were behind the present smear campaign Professor Olowofela advised the administration to desist from alleged deliberate campaign of calumny which could lead to breakdown of law and order.
Professor Olowofela also implored the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde to face the serious task of governance instead of embarking on attempt to malign his predecessor.
Also in attendance at the event was Abiodun Ambali and Bolaji Tunji.
Adedayo Adelowo
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