The Osun State Government has admitted that the office of the Governor has spent over 500m naira on entertainment in the last one year.
Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi in a statement on Saturday, while reacting to a story published by an online platform (Not InsightMedia) said the State has hosted several dignitaries including from presidency and all expenses are on the State government.
The statement by Alimi reads, “On a report by an online news medium that Osun state spent over Five Hundred Million Naira on entertainment, we educate the medium that Osun Government in the last one year or so has hosted several high profile national events bordering on beneficial policy meetings, hosting of ministers, Governors and even top state officials from the Presidency.
“The medium is invited to note that hosting states spend funds on transportation, accommodation and event organisation, all which were conducted under shoestring budget and within the context of hyper inflation plaguing the country.
“The state benefited immensely as several developmental projects are attracted into the state while Osun state is gradually assuming the position of event hub of the South West, boosting the agenda of the administration on the cultural, creative and tourism industry.”
The commissioner described the report as work of the opposition Party in the State.
“We notice deliberate endeavour of the opposition to dent the image of the current government by misinterpreting, misrepresenting and fabricating financial conjectures especially after it has become overwhelmed by current good governance delivery. It is however gratifying to note that Osun people understand the gimmick of the unelectable opposition and are not falling for purveyors of fake news who failed miserably when they had opportunities to govern the state.”
While reacting to the issue of zero pension, Alimi said the government of Senator Ademola Adeleke has paid over N16bn of pension and gratuities in the last 22 months.
“On pension and gratuity arrears, the current administration inherited a huge sum of ₦35bn pension and gratuity arrears from the previous administration and within just two years, the Adeleke Administration had cleared four years’ worth of ₦16.2bn pension and gratuity arrears spanning 2017 to 2020.
“The public is invited to note that the immediate past administration ruled between 2019 and 2022 and the total pension paid within the period was N11bn plus compared to Adeleke’s N16bn plus under two years.”
