EDO State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday revealed how Governor Adams Oshiomhole and other government officials allegedly spent about N18 billion on the newly established Edo University, Iyamho (EUI) in violation of the state public procurement law.
The party’s state Publicity Secretary and Legal Adviser, Chris Nehikhare and Prof. Edoba Omoregie, who addressed journalists in Benin, vowed to ensure that government officials involved in the illegal expenditure are removed from office and prosecuted.
Nehikhare disclosed that some high ranking officials aided the governor in breaking the Public Procurement Law passed by the state House of Assembly in February, 2012.
He listed officials and establishments involved in the illegal expenditure to include the Commissioner for Education, Gideon Obhakhan; Commissioner for Health, Dr Aihanuwa Eregie; the Accountant-General and Edo State Public Procurement Agency and its former Managing Director, Tom Uloko and other senior officials of the agency.
While recalling that Governor Oshiomhole had repeatedly vowed that anyone who violated the Public Procurement Law goes to jail, the PDP spokesman said now that Oshiomhole is the one that has violated the law, the proper thing should be done.
On his part, Prof. Omoreige accused Oshiomhole of diverting the sum of N1.2 billion from the N3.5 billion set aside for the construction of the new accident and emergency ward complex and renovation of existing structures at the Benin Central Hospital that was contained in the 2015 budget of the state Ministry of Health without the approval of the House of Assembly.
He alleged that on January, 14, 2016, at a time the state 2016 budget had not been signed, Governor Oshiomhole flouted the Public Procurement Law by paying N1.4 billion, representing 75 per cent mobilization fee to a firm for the installation, training and maintenance of medical equipment at the Accident and Emergency ward of the Benin Central Hospital.
But in his reaction, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Kassim Afegbua said the budget is a public document which captured the state’s general appropriation outlook for 2016 fiscal year.
The Commissioner for Education, Gideon Obhakhan also dismissed the PDP’s allegations as mere propaganda campaign, saying the government was trying to finish well.