A former Commissioner for Finance in Ekiti State, Mr Dapo Kolawole, has cited “gross incompetence” and “lack of capacity” on the part of Governor Ayodele Fayose for the lingering economic crisis in the state.
Kolawole, who was Commissioner for finance in the state between 2010 and 2014, said if the state’s resources were properly managed, the state wouldn’t be in the present economic mess.
The former Commissioner who spoke with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, said despite the economic downturn in the country, Ekiti State could still afford to pay three months workers salaries, thereby reducing the economic crisis that has crippled the state.
Ekiti is owing workers’ five months salary arrears and several months pension.
Kolawole said the state could still pay the salaries of workers from money the government had received in form of refunds and palliatives in the last few months, if the administration in the state was sincere.
The former Commissioner said the economic crisis in the state was being compounded because Fayose was running the government on a negative goodwill, having failed to attract support from developmental agencies, institutions as well as well meaning citizens of the state.
Specifically, Kolawole challenged Fayose to explain why he is owing local government workers, despite the fact that the local government fund comes directly from the federation account.
He also challenged the governor to explain to Ekiti indigenes what happened to the Federal Government’s refund on federal roads.
He pointed out that the state is suffering today because the governor lacked the required creativity, intellectual ability and the capacity to lead in critical moments.
He alluded to other state governments who have embraced the task of governance with every sense of responsibility, thereby repositioning their states.
“But what do we have in Ekiti. We have someone who never promised anything, so could not deliver anything.”, said Kolawole, who added that Fayose lacks the required capacity to lead at critical moment.
The former Commissioner who admitted that the immediate past administration in the state headed by Dr Kayode Fayemi took loans, said the various loans taken by the administration were tied to regenerative projects and with a well structured repayment plan, that had a seven year term at the maximum.
He wondered why the incumbent administration in the state refused to apply the refunds to meet the loan repayment as planned.
Kolawole said: “Yes we took a bond of N25billion, and the repayment plan was well structured. 50 percent of the loan was regenerative and 50 per cent social infrastructure like road, bridges and water projects. And the repayment was tied to some specific receipts from the federation account.
“For the loans taken at commercial banks, it was for four years. And the repayment was to have come from the various refunds from the federal government. But owing to dirty politics by the then PDP-led federal government, we were denied the refunds simply because we were going for election.
“Now that the Fayose administration has been paid substantial parts of the refund, instead for the administration to use the refund to pay the loan, he restructured the loan for another 20 years, and then diverted the money.
“The governor’s claim that the state has a N2.6 billion monthly wage is criminal. Under Fayemi, the monthly wage bill was N2.6billion, and you remember that include the payment of N5,000 monthly social security stipends to 20,000 indigent elderly citizens. It also include 10,000 youth volunteers, 800 peace corps and 300 members of EKSTMA and other initiatives.
“Under Fayose, all social security for the elderly was scrapped, peace corps scrapped, EKSTMA scrapped. The governor even said he expunged 500 ghost workers from the nominal roll. Add that to the fact that about 50 workers retires on monthly basis from the service without corresponding employment. How then can Fayose claim to have N2.6billion monthly wages as did Fayemi?”
“These and several questions must be asked and answers must be provided in order for the state to move forward.
“For instance, Fayose must be asked what he did with the loans he had taken in the last few months. This include N10 billion bank loan; N9.6billion bailout; N2billion micro credit fund obtained from CBN as well as monthly allocations and IGR for 20 months which remained largely unaccounted for.
“On the debt figures credited to Fayose, I doubt if you can trust him on anything? He is highly inconsistent with figures he brandishes around:. On his inauguration pamphlet, he put the debt profile at N86 billion just to get the sympathy of the former President Jonathan on financial support for his government. Later he put it at N96billion and N68 billion at different fora . Now, he is saying it’s N31billion. Can you beat that level of inconsistency?
“Our party, the APC in the state has challenged the DMO to publish the true debt portfolio of the state to put an end to the frivolous claims by Fayose. I think it is time the DMO comes up with the exact figure”, Kolawole added.
It is high time Fayose faces the serious task of governance and do away with brigandage. A government that plays on the intelligence of its workers by giving them bank payment alerts only to withdraw it hours later is not only mean, it is criminal.
“A creative and compassionate government would still find ways to make life more meaningful for its citizens. But the Fayose administration is irredeemably a one –man show, by one-man and for one-man,” he added.