A Civil society organization in Osun State, the Osun Renaissance Project (ORP) has condemned what it turned as corrupt practices and abuse of powers in the Adeleke-led Osun State Government.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye has been at the centre of storm of a N297m Tertiary Education Trust Funds contract awarded to Akinkaz Interbiz Limited, a company linked to him.
Speaking via a release made available to the Press on Thursday, the Group’s
Spokesperson, Olalekan Fagbemi, condemned the “reckless abuse of public office” by highly ranked members of the Adeleke Government, without checks and balances from the Governor himself, or anyone empowered to call the persons to account.
Fagbemi said, “the Osun Renaissance Project has keenly followed events surrounding the award of a contract worth 297 million to Akinkas Interbiz Limited, a company in which the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alh. Kazeem Akinleye, has interests. While he continues to claim he has resigned his position as Director of the company, it is
instructive to note that the current Directors of the Company are his wife and children. This is not only disturbing, it is also unfortunate.”
“Under the same Adeleke Government, a road construction contract worth 9 billion was awarded to a company in which the Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Akinyode Oyewusi, has interest. Playing same script, the Deputy Speaker declared that he had resigned his Directorship of the company, but his wife and children continue to be Directors.”
“These actions amount to gross abuse of office, corruption and utter disrespect for
the oath sworn by these officials of the Adeleke government. The Governor’s silence also appear to keen watchers of the polity, as irresponsibility and Executive recklessness. Appointees of Government cannot display such avarice, and the Governor keeps mum as if all is well.”
Speaking further, Fagbemi said “we have also been closely following the financial
reports of the Osun State House of Assembly under Adewale Egbedun. The State’s Quarterly Budget performance reports show that the House of Assembly has received close to 2 billion in just the first two quarters of 2024. What the Assembly is spending such humongous amount on, remains unclear.”
“Whereas the State Government seems unable to massively finance the critical and productive sectors of the State, the House of Assembly under Egbedun continues to feed fat, at the expense of the welfare of our State’s people. It is further disappointing to note that although the State’s people had high hopes in the current.Assembly, being populated by youths, the Speaker of the Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has led the house in a manner that is both obnoxious, and disappointing.
“Osun Renaissance Project calls on the Governor to rein in the greed, and
irresponsibility pervading his administration so that the State’s resources can be optimally deployed to serve the State’s people.”
“If Osun State must develop and not derail from the gains of the past years, Gov. Adeleke must show capacity now, and purge his government of all appearances of corrupt practice, no matter the person involved”, he concluded.
