Noble
Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Friday in Benin City, described the
ongoing Good Governance Tour led by the Minister of Information and
Orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku, as a big scam. Soyinka’s condemnation came
barely twenty four hours after the opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN), called for the immediate stoppage of the tour.
Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Friday in Benin City, described the
ongoing Good Governance Tour led by the Minister of Information and
Orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku, as a big scam. Soyinka’s condemnation came
barely twenty four hours after the opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN), called for the immediate stoppage of the tour.
Soyinka spoke to journalists at the Edo State Council Press
Centre when he made an unscheduled inspection of the historical Benin Moat on
which the fence of NUJ secretariat rests. Asked amongst other questions what
was his impression of the federal government tour, Soyinka said, “I am happy
that Oshiomhole told the leader of the Good Governance Tour, Labaran Maku, to
go to hell. It is a big scam.”
It will be recalled that the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams
Aliyu Oshiomhole, had last weekend allegedly rejected a multi million naira
proposal from the minister asking the state government to bankroll the Edo
State leg of the tour after describing it as a waste of public fund.
Aliyu Oshiomhole, had last weekend allegedly rejected a multi million naira
proposal from the minister asking the state government to bankroll the Edo
State leg of the tour after describing it as a waste of public fund.
Oshiomhole stated, “The
resources accruable to the state cannot afford to accommodate the expenses of
hosting the Minister of Information and his good governance tour team. Why
should I take Edo State tax payers money to
finance a federal government project?
resources accruable to the state cannot afford to accommodate the expenses of
hosting the Minister of Information and his good governance tour team. Why
should I take Edo State tax payers money to
finance a federal government project?
I don’t need Abuja to help me to tell Edo State people what I am
doing in the state. “Anytime a state official goes for official duty in Abuja,
the state takes responsibilities for the expenses. So, I expect the federal
government to finance its official tour.”
doing in the state. “Anytime a state official goes for official duty in Abuja,
the state takes responsibilities for the expenses. So, I expect the federal
government to finance its official tour.”
Saturday Mirror reliably gathered from Edo Government House that
the proposed tour would have cost the state government about N180m, which the
governor said he would find it hard to reconcile with his frugal government.
Meanwhile, our correspondent also gathered that Soyinka, one of the foremost
global voices, is advocating for the listing of the Benin Moat as a UNESCO
heritage and site.
the proposed tour would have cost the state government about N180m, which the
governor said he would find it hard to reconcile with his frugal government.
Meanwhile, our correspondent also gathered that Soyinka, one of the foremost
global voices, is advocating for the listing of the Benin Moat as a UNESCO
heritage and site.
Source: Sun
