There is no case of diversion of bailout loan in Osun—Gov't

The State Government of Osun on Sunday said that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) did not indict it over the application of the N34.988bn bailout funds it got last year.

The Government, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, said the fact that the ICPC claimed it was investigating claims that workers in the state received their last salaries in July 2015 was enough for workers in Osun and those who have been monitoring developments in the state to conclude that the allegation could not have been true.

“This is because after the payment of seven months backlog of salaries last year, the government had proceeded to pay salaries on the agreed terms with workers. And this is why Osun has been able to pay its workers till January this year.

“There is no case of diversion of bailout loan as far as Osun is concerned. The state was able to accommodate pensioners in the bailout loans application when in actual fact pensioners were not part of the bailout scheme. But this was agreed upon by both government and workers.

“Don't forget also that the bailout was to take care of salaries backlog up till June last year. The report that Osun paid salaries last in July 2015 is laughable.

“If anything, the Osun government had demonstrated enough transparency by ensuring that the bailout loan was disbursed with adequate supervision of a committee of labour and government. Could the workers have collaborated with the government to divert such funds? ” the statement asked.

The Government said that it was expected that the Peoples Democratic Party, in its desperation to hang anything on Governor Aregbesola, would not study carefully what the ICPC released to the public before jumping to the conclusion that it had been vindicated.

“Rather than being vindicated, the PDP has further demonstrated its desperation. That no worker in Osun would say he has not been paid up till January 2016 rubbishes its claim of being vindicated.

“We have insisted that Governor Aregbesola cannot be found wanting because whether in bailout funds or other funds of Osun he has been very creative in the management of the scarce resources to lift the state beyond the limit of the available resources.”