Edo PDP Accuses State Govt of “Waiver Spending”. PDP Not Qualified to Talk ― Govt

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has accused the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, of ignoring standard procedures and due process in the spending of the state resources, criticising the governor of running a state like a sole administrator since he became governor 100 days ago.

Speaking at a media briefing in Benin to assess the first 100 days of Governor Oshiomhole, state chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih, said the singular reason why the governor has been unable to appoint commissioners and board members was to aid his mismanagement of state resources.

Orbih said he observed that since Obaseki assumed office on November 12, 2016, he has been getting approvals for waivers from the Office of the Auditor-general of Edo State for huge sums of money and that the governor also approved to pay some transactions in cash.

He said it was worrisome that Governor Obaseki has introduced a novel process of perpetrating corruption that was different from his predecessor, adding that his party will expose his corruption practices just it did with former Governor Oshiomhole.

The PDP chairman condemned the governor for spending the sum of N134million in December 2016 to purchase Christmas cards, Rams and petty items and another N7million for their transportation whereas workers were being owed backlog of entitlements.

According to Orbih, on December 2, 2016, the governor approved the sum of N191million which was paid in cash to a contractor who supplied two Nissan Pickups, a Prado Jeep and three other SUVs.

“It is not even the amount…if you look at the approval the bogus side of it is stated very clearly that the financial implications for the direct purchase of these vehicles by cash is authorized by the governor”.

“He has established an unusual pattern of executing government jobs using Building Maintenance Officers, BMO to prepare bill of quantities for direct Labour execution of government projects”.

He said the governor’s approval of another N77million for the repainting of the government house and the deputy governor’s office last year followed this fraudulent process.

On the non-provision of financial estimates for drugs for the many general hospitals across the state in the 2017 budget, Orbih said he was shocked that in the same budget the governor asked for the sum of N3million monthly to buy drugs for the state house clinic.

The Edo PDP chairman who also condemned in strong terms what he called the unlawful 14 per cent deduction of workers salaries in the state for a phantom pension scheme, challenged Governor Obaseki ‘s to ask former governor Adams Oshiomhole to show him where he kept the sum of $54million, which the state received in December 2014.

However in a reaction, interim Chief Press Secretary to Governor Godwin Obaseki, John Mayaki, said the Edo PDP has a penchant of displaying fake government document to deceive the people, adding that the PDP chairman lacked knowledge of the workings of government.

He said, “For a public document like a voucher purportedly obtained from the government house to be authentic and taken seriously, it must be either the original or a certified true copy. In this case, the PDP, in furnishing journalists with the said vouchers did not disclose whether it was the original copy or a certified true copy let alone which authority certified it assuming it was the latter.

On the issue of cabinet formation, Governor Obaseki will not be blackmailed into making mistakes, for so we can infer from PDP’s unwise press conference. He is taking his time to put a credible and competent team together with appointees who must be recommended from the 192 wards to the state government.

On the issue of Contributory Pension Scheme, Orbih should be asked what is wrong in initiating schemes designed to protect workers’ welfare at an old age. The Pension Reform Act of 2004 gives the state government authority to implement its provisions in favour of workers.

Besides PDP and Orbih lacked the gumption, even they were extravagating outlandish ideas at ill-conceived press conferences to reveal to Edo people that Governor Godwin Obaseki budgeted N6 Billion to facilitate the scheme just as deductions are paid into designated pension funds custodians.”

Tribune