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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The alleged mismanagement of Local Governments funds has led to accusations and counter-accusations between the Osun State Government and the immediate past government of Adegboyega Oyetola, the current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
The state government through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, in over 300 pages report of the contract review committee, alleged that over N1.5 billion was mismanaged by the administration of Oyetola in the local government with some of his sides.
He alleged that the former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Adebayo Adeleke, was awarded many contracts without recourse to due process.
Alimi further alleged that a company owned by Prince Adeleke Andulyekini Adebayo (Banik) who served as local government commissioner under Oyetola, took renovation of primary health cares, while the state chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Abiodun Idowu, was also involved in money laundering using one Akeem Ibitoye, the current Director of Finance in Ejigbo Local Government.
“This was how the former Governor squandered and misappropriated the Twenty Million dollars ($20,000,000.00) health intervention funds given to the State by the World Bank which sum would have gone a long way to address various medical needs in the State.
“In the cause of this assignment as well, the Committee stumbled on some financial records which clearly show a clear case of money laundering of huge magnitude by the past administration of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.
“This mind bungling money laundering was discovered in the account of ALGON and this involved the Chairman of the ALGON, Hon. Abiodun Idowu, ALGON Secretary, Hon. Olubisi Oladousu, the remaining 28 local government caretaker Committee Chairmen and the Area Council, the former Commissioner for local Government and Chieftaincy affairs, Hon Yekeen Adebayo Adeleke (Banik), with the approval, concurrence and supervision of the former Governor, Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola to the tune of above One Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N1, 500,000, 000.00) into the private account of one Akeem Ibitoye, a local government employee and currently, the Director of Finance, Ejigbo Local Government between January 2022 to October, 2022,” Alimi stated.
But, responding to the allegations in Osogbo, on Monday, the former commissioner for local government who tendered his resignation letter from the company to show the time the contract was awarded to his company, described the allegations as frivolous and witch-hunt.
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He boasted that nothing was done in his office without approval, saying all the projects approved for ALGON were executed.
He also accused Alimi of squandering over N3.7 billion when he was the Commissioner for local government in 2017.
“The chairman of ALGON, Jayeola Omoboyede, collected a cash sum of N60 million under Alimi as commissioner for local government. On December 28, 2017. Olokungboye Temilada, ALGON secretary, collected N70 million in one day. March 29 Temilade and Jayeola collected N100 million in a day,” Adeleke stated.
Stating his position, Abiodun Idowu, the ALGON chairman, explained that the practice before him was execution of project by cash but the association engaged Ibitoye to supervise the spending for effective documentation.
“When we came on board, there was no record, no voucher, no written record of transactions for any executed project, I only met the account of ALGON. That is why the association engaged Ibitoye.
“He is only to track and manage our joint projects, supervise and ensure retirement of records for any transactions. And to the glory of God, he ensured that all our transactions are recorded.
“For your information, our major projects also went through Local Government due process office and we had letters of clearance from the office.
“Besides, all our transactions records were submitted to the Auditor-General for local government, hence, the officials report of the office concerning local government activities while we were in office,” Idowu said.
On the allegation that Ibitoye has run away, Idowu said he was aware that he retired in August last year, saying he didn’t believe that he ran away.
