A group, The Osun Masterminds, has asked for a probe into the finances of Osun State during the tenure of Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as the governor of the state.

The group also called on the state governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, to speak about the state of the government that he inherited, saying the people deserve to know.

Speaking against the backdrop of a sharp drop in the monthly allocation accruable to the state, TOM’s Executive Director, Dr. Wasiu Alli-Oyeniyi, in a statement in Osogbo on Tuesday, expressed concern over deficit of N375 million that the state got from the Federation Account in February 2022.

He said, “In the month ended February 2022, Osun State Government received a negative allocation of N-375million from the FAAC, out of a possible N1.45bn. The implication of this is that the state will be paying back an extra sum of N375million from next month’s allocation, plus the deductions already waiting in that month.

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“The governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, must as a matter of importance and the very near future, speak about the state of the government he inherited. The state’s people deserve to know why their state is in the state of affliction that it presently is. When the people can rightly appropriate blame, working together to get out of the quagmire becomes easier.

“The state government needs to, as a matter of urgency, conduct a financial sustainability exercise that will look into the core areas of finances of the state, the capacity it has for survival and the steps it needs to take to correct past errors.

“Such exercise may necessarily include a probe of the past administration’s financial actions, with a view to issuing necessary white papers where necessary, to reprimand persons found guilty of poor actions.”

But reacting, another group, Progressives Minded Forum, in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Sunday Oriowo, accused the state government of sponsoring The Osun Masterminds to discredit Aregbesola.

The PMF, however, supported the call asking Oyetola to tell the people of the state the actual debt profile when he took over power in 2018, the repayment method and projects that the loans were expended on.

The group also challenged Oyetola to disclose deductions which made the state to receive negative allocation from FAAC and the actual amount being generated as Internally Generated Revenue.

“Mr Governor sir, members of the public would like to know ‘other deductions’ which put the state into negative in the February allocation. The people will also like to know how you have been funding the little projects you have embarked upon since all your claim is ‘there is no money in the state.’

“Besides, it is pathetic that a supposed objective group would close its eyes to the non-disclosure of N11.9bn refund to the Osun State government on Federal Government projects executed by Aregbesola, but rather continue to blame the former governor for the debt,” Oriowo said.

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Reacting, the state Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode, said Oyetola’s government did not sponsor any group to attack or demand Aregbesola’s probe.

She said, “The Osun Masterminds is not an agency of government in Osun. We didn’t sponsor anybody.

“If people are saying the truth, say they are saying the truth. If they lie against you, defend yourself. Don’t leave the message and the messenger and be chasing shadows.”

PUNCH