Nigerian politicians are a heartless bunch. In this era of belt tightening and where governments at all tiers all over the world are trying to be frugal and prudent in the management of the scarce resources at their disposal due to the global economic melt down, it is reported that Ogun spent N1.5 billion on Governor Daniel's 50th birthday and foreign trips. Is that justifiable?
The Nation Newspapers of Feb. 21, 2009 with the caption "Ogun spends N1.5b on Daniel's 50th birthday, foreign trips" wrote that the Ogun State government has been accused of spending over N1.5b on the 50th birthday celebration of the state governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel, foreign trips and what has been described as "maintenance of law and order" between 2004 and 2006.
A petition sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC) and the Inspector General of Police has alleged large scale spending spree in the state.
According to the petition, Daniel and his wife, Yeye Olufunke, embarked on 49 and 31 foreign trips respectively at a cost of N450 million.
The petitioner also alleged that the state spent N487, 968,745 during the governor's 50th birthday celebrations.
Giving a breakdown, the petitioner said the sum of N15,202,560 was spent in paying for the celebration, another N1,200,000 on production of personal memoir with cheque no 00000695 drawn in favour of a new generation bank, another cheque of N7,242,560 from the same bank.
The petitioner reveals further that a cheque of N1.5m in respect of the birthday was also issued. The money was withdrawn from a first generation bank. The cheque number was given as 41640863.
Also in preparation for a get-together for the birthday, N5, 260,000 was issued in respect of the same first generation bank, the petitioner alleged.
The Paper also wrote that in 2005, during the governor's 49th birthday celebration, it was alleged that two separate cheques were issued for the lecture delivered on that day. The amounts, N1, 550,000 and N807, 400 were withdrawn from the defunct Bond bank.
The governor was further accused of spending N281m on what the petitioner described as "maintenance of law and order."
In the petition, it was alleged that N23m was spent in combating cultism under such titles as "curbing violence in Ogun State ".
"Government claims that it spent an average of N1, on "Anti-Violence Committee" on campuses every month while cash position as at May 21, 2004 recorded that N1.5m was spent," the petition equally alleged.
But this was contrary to the actual as records showed that N300, 000 was paid to the committee for the month of August 2004 while N1m was recorded as having been spent on eradication of cultism. Another sum of N7.4m "was recorded to have been dolled out to Youth leaders in Ogun State," the petitioner alleged.
http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/ubochi/022409.html
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