Governor Adams Oshiomhole of
Edo state has declared that he would not spend the state’s resources to finance
the federal government-sponsored Good Governance Tour being led by the Minister
of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku.
Edo state has declared that he would not spend the state’s resources to finance
the federal government-sponsored Good Governance Tour being led by the Minister
of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku.
Oshiomhole, who disclosed this
during a seminar on ‘tax laws’ in the state, explained that he had opposed the
proposal of state government sponsorship of the team when the matter first came
up at a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
during a seminar on ‘tax laws’ in the state, explained that he had opposed the
proposal of state government sponsorship of the team when the matter first came
up at a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
He said the team has sent in a
proposal imploring him to provide accommodation, feeding and logistics for
over 120 delegates when they are expected to visit the state next week.
proposal imploring him to provide accommodation, feeding and logistics for
over 120 delegates when they are expected to visit the state next week.
The Good Governance Tour,
organised by the Federal Ministry of Information, is believed to have received
presidential approval for funds to take care of the accommodation, feeding,
logistics, television live coverage of the tour and other welfare matters of
members of the Maku-led delegation.
organised by the Federal Ministry of Information, is believed to have received
presidential approval for funds to take care of the accommodation, feeding,
logistics, television live coverage of the tour and other welfare matters of
members of the Maku-led delegation.
It was gathered that rather
than put into use the approved funds, the information minister has depended
more on state governments to pick the bills of the delegation for which
majority of the states did not budget but are reluctantly made to cough
out millions of naira in order not to be listed among the least performing
states in the country in the event that a rating based on the assessment of the
team is carried out.
than put into use the approved funds, the information minister has depended
more on state governments to pick the bills of the delegation for which
majority of the states did not budget but are reluctantly made to cough
out millions of naira in order not to be listed among the least performing
states in the country in the event that a rating based on the assessment of the
team is carried out.
Analysts have equally
complained over the handling of the tour, with regards to how Maku has turned
it into a personal matter behaving as if he has powers to assess all tiers of
government and has deliberately pushed other partners in the tour aside, unlike
in the past when the Nigeria Union of Journalists was head of the team and was
seen as an independent body.
complained over the handling of the tour, with regards to how Maku has turned
it into a personal matter behaving as if he has powers to assess all tiers of
government and has deliberately pushed other partners in the tour aside, unlike
in the past when the Nigeria Union of Journalists was head of the team and was
seen as an independent body.
Oshiomhole, who rued the
proposal from the team, said: “Whenever Edo government officials travel to
Abuja for official duty, the state takes responsibility and not the federal
government.
proposal from the team, said: “Whenever Edo government officials travel to
Abuja for official duty, the state takes responsibility and not the federal
government.
“So, it is inappropriate to use
Edo state tax payers’ money to finance federal government programme. If they
pay me courtesy visit, I will receive them, but I don’t have a dime to spend on
them because I do not need them to come and tell Edo people how I have built
roads, schools, among other things. My achievement speaks for me.”
Edo state tax payers’ money to finance federal government programme. If they
pay me courtesy visit, I will receive them, but I don’t have a dime to spend on
them because I do not need them to come and tell Edo people how I have built
roads, schools, among other things. My achievement speaks for me.”
Source: Blueprint
