GSM and Burden of Debts | By Akeem Adebiyi

Ordinarily, ‘whoever goes aborrowing goes asorrowing’. But, this is not applicable to government as an institution. However, it is meet and proper to be a wise spender. Loans must be spent on rewarding ventures and not frivolous or white elephant projects.

Hence, I am inclined to lend my voice of credence to the plethora of comments on the issue of the moment in Oyo State, i.e., the controversial loan of ₦300,000,000,000.00 as obtained by the OYSG. It is crystal clear that due processes were put aside in processing this loan. The rubber stamp Oyo State House of Assembly ignobly approved this loan under the cover of darkness.

It took the courage of Hon. Ibrahim Shittu, a parliamentarian representing the good people of Saki West Constituency, to expose this scandal. Albeit, this courage and boldness has exposed him to threats and persecution.

This exposé could only happen in an environment where lawlessness reigns supreme.

A close observer of the present administration in Oyo State shall understand that GSM and loans are conjugal twins. His penchant for reckless spending knows no bounds. He is in the habit of doling out humongous sums of money from the state coffers on superfluous gifts of cars, lands and houses to his cronies.

He conducts the financial affairs of the state government as if its treasury is such an Eldorado that it can afford itself the luxury of buying everything in sight. As it is now, the state must have been indebted to the tune of “one trillion naira”, if not more.

Would the state breathe under these debilitating, crushing and suffocating DEBTS? Definitely NO. This amounts to mortgaging the future of our dear state.

Everything about our government in Oyo State is magical. It is all motion without any movement.

Transparency, accountability and due processes are strange phenomena to the government in the saddle. Our governor has mortgaged all the assets of the state…lands, forests, farmlands, estates, equipment and other valuables are now in private hands.

GSM’s love for profligacy is unequalled and unparalleled in our annals. Despite the public outcry against the highly inflated cost of rehabilitating the government house, which understandably is a misplacement of priority, he went ahead with the execution of the project.

Arrears of pensions and gratuities are left unattended to, school buildings are dilapidated, the acute shortage of personnel bites harder in civil and public service, public hygiene is zero in terms of assessment, security is relegated to the back seat, the economy is in shambles, the health sector is not receiving adequate attention, the agricultural sector is not functioning, service roads in the state are crying for attention, etc.

All these glaring deficiencies, which need the attention of our governor, don’t sound meaningful to him except for politicking, chieftaincy ceremonies, junketing, and frivolous and lavish spending.

Both the ICPC and EFCC should be preparing to investigate all the atrocious acts of the present government in Oyo State and its apologists.

There is no basis or reason for obtaining any loan by the OYSG today in view of the humongous/fat monthly allocations from the FG coupled with an astronomical rise in the monthly internally generated revenue which accrues to the state. But our governor’s long throat for questionable wealth accumulation and covetousness won’t allow him to show patriotism. His conduct is symptomatic of his obsession to hold onto governance forever, which is an illusion.

Much is yet to be known about the financial affairs of our state government and executive excesses and overreach of GSM until after his exit from the system and replacement by a competent hand from the opposition party.

Then, people shall realise the fact that the present exposé is just child’s play. May God spare our lives beyond the time.