Oyo State Transparency Group has raised alarm over an alleged plot by the Oyo State government to fraudulently collect the sum of N30 million from each of the 33 Local Government areas of the State for the construction of local roads.
The group made this known through a statement signed by its Coordinator, Mr. Bello Razaq and made available to journalists in Ibadan, noting that the Ministry of Works and the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency are working in connivance to empty the purse of Local Government Councils.
The statement reads in part, “Our attention has been drawn to an ongoing conspiracy of Oyo State’s Ministry of Works and Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) to unlawfully obtain the sum of N30M from all Local Government areas of the state for construction of local roads.”
“Investigation conducted with verifiable evidence at our disposal reveals that the Oyo State Ministry of Works and OYSROMA had compelled 33 local governments and 35 Local Council Development Areas in the pacesetter state to pay the said amount of money without delay.
“It has been further established that only N5M out of the N30M would be allocated for the said construction of local roads, while the remaining N25M would be clandestinely used in pursuance of Governor Seyi Makinde’s second term ambition.
“It is worrisome that the sum of N25M taken across each of the 33 local governments and 35 local council development areas would be squandered on Makinde’s second term ambition, despite the paucity of funds slowing the pace of development in the state.”
The group emphasized that OYSROMA has jettisoned its actual responsibility which primarily centres on the maintenance of all state-owned roads, adding that the Oyo State Ministry of Works has taken the department of works in Local Government for granted, despite the presence and availability of qualified engineers to construct and maintain local roads.
“Oyo State Transparency Group is hereby calling on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission(EFCC) to begin an investigation with immediate effect on the Oyo State Ministry of Works and all 65 Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas on the misappropriation of funds meant for the progress of Local Government Areas,” the statement concluded.
