Use Federal allocation to impact lives in Ekiti – Falegan tells Oyebanji

From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti

An Ekiti-born philanthropist, Opeyemi David Falegan, has expressed worry over the living condition of residents of Ekiti State despite the increase in the monthly allocation from the Federal Account to the state and the palliatives from the federal government to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

According to him, there is hunger in Ekiti as a result of the high cost of foodstuffs, fuel, and other commodities.
He urged the governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, to make judicious use of the federal allocation by channelling the money into programmes that will directly benefit the people and improve their living conditions.

Falegan, in a statement he made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, called on the governor “to explain in concrete terms what he has done with the federal government palliatives and how he has spent the N6.5bn federal allocation for the month of June, 2024.”

He continued: “We are aware that the federal government announced a palliative measure of 20 trucks of 25kg bags of rice to each state of the federation and the Federal Capital inclusive.

“The federal government announced that, the palliatives should be distributed to vulnerable Nigerians across the states but unfortunately in his own state, such palliatives were neither distributed to the people of the state nor sold on the palliative measure arrangements as well.

“But what we have noticed in Ekiti state is that these palliatives were diverted and politicized, as those who were supposed to receive the palliatives could not get it because the Governor distributed it to his political associates and sympathisers.

“We are worried and concerned about the plight of the poor masses in Ekiti whose conditions have not been improving despite the increasing federal allocation and the federal government palliatives to the state as a result of mismanagement, lack of foresight, and misplacement of priority on the part of the governor.

“There is nothing tangible that we could point to as part of what he has been spending the public funds on that one could say has a direct benefit on the lives of the poor masses in the state, rather what we have seen the governor so busy with is the issue of his second term and endorsement, when he hadn’t even spend two years in office.

“It is our constitutional right to make enquiry as to how our money is being spent. It is also part of the responsibility to tell us what he has been doing with our money and what and where he is putting our money.

“As a responsible and concerned citizen, we are worried about the plight and living conditions of our people and we are challenged to call out the Governor to come and explain to us and the people of Ekiti what he has been doing with our money and most especially the money received from federal allocation in the last one year that there has been great increase in the allocation to states.”