Barely a month after the Osun State Government announced the suspension of official dealings with the state chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and promised to constitute an investigative panel to probe financial malfeasance and kickbacks allegations against the council and the Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Hon. Moshood Olagunju respectively, there is no action on the matter.
InsightMedia had on January 11 reported how crisis broke out between the Ministry and the Youth led by Comrade Segun Olakolupo Akinbode following distribution of 20 bags of rice gifted to youth groups by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Teslim Igbalaye.
The crisis escalated as stakeholders called on the the youth council chairman to account for N25m allegedly collected as grants from the government.
In responding, the council accused the Commissioner of taking kickbacks on every money received, while it also declared that it only got N17m and not N25m.
Reacting to the accusations, the Osun State Government via a statement by Commissioner for Information, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, severed relationship with NYCN.
Alimi also announced that a three-man panel of “unaffiliated nominees” would be set up to investigate the crisis surrounding the NYCN and allegations involving the CommissionerforYouthAffairs. Pending the outcome of that investigation, the government said all engagements with the council would be put on hold.
Reiterating the government’s position, Spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Mallam Olawale Rasheed in a chat with InsightMedia correspondent said the panel would be inaugurated the following week and promised that public will be briefed on the outcome of the investigation.
However, nearly a month after, there has been no public announcement of the panel members, no inauguration, and no visible investigative process as none of the parties has received invitation to attend any panel.
The delay has intensified scrutiny of the government, especially in light of serious allegations made by NYCN officials against the Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Moshood Olagunju.
Chief of Staff conveys meeting
According to sources familiar with the development, a meeting was held at the residence of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye Thursday, January 15, 2015, to resolve the crisis.
However, more allegations were made against the NYCN chairman by the leadership of the Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC), the association Akinbode had led before becoming NYCN chairman.
The NYC under the leadership of Yemi Olaribigbe, accused Akinbode of misappropriating a sum of N3m, adding that he (Akinbode) did not hand over the propeetiels of the association under his watch.
At the meeting, the Chief of Staff promised to pay the N3m, a promise he later fulfilled through the Commissioner for Youth Affairs, who deposited the funds into the NYC account.
InsightMedia also uncovered how the N3m was withdrawn from the account of the NYC just hours after it was deposited.
It is unclear if the resolution was reached but sources familiar with the development said the government representatives at the meeting concluded plans to relate with NYC and Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) pending investigation into activities of the NYCN.
When contacted by InsightMedia, Spokesperson to the Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed said he would find out latest on the matter and get back to our correspondent, the promise he has never fulfilled.
Efforts to reach Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment proved unproductive as he didn’t pick his calls neither responded to the message sent to his line.
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