By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo
The Osun state Government on Thursday cleared the air on the rumour that the state has received a sum of N82bn from Federal Government.
The state described this as propaganda and blatant lie deliberately cooked up to incite public against government and cause disaffection among the citizenry.
The widespread ‘rumour’ in the state followed information allegedly credited to one of the National Assembly lawmakers, Senator Dino Melaye, that Osun had received N82bn from a $4bn fund, being over-deductions on Paris and London Club Loans.
The Government, through the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, office of the Governor, said there was nothing like N82bn paid to Osun out of an imaginary “$4bn being over-deductions on Paris and London Club Loans on the accounts of State and Local Governments from February 1990 to March 2002”.
According to a statement signed by the Director of the Bureau, Semiu Okanlawon said, “It sounds warped that such information would emanate from an interloper to Nigerians”.
Okanlawon said if Nigeria received the alleged funds and such huge amounts are to be credited to respective states, simple logic dictates that the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Information and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation would be duly involved and communicate such a development to Nigerians through the appropriate quarters.
“It is curious that since the misinformation was released and credited to a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Dino Melaye, who was reported to have manufactured the misinformation has not come out to deny making the statement.
“Much more curious also is the direct reference to the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who was singled out and asked to pay his state workers from the non-existent N82bn”, the statement added.
The state considered the insinuations as deliberate efforts sponsored by political traducers to turn people against the government.
“We consider this as a direct incitement of the people of Osun and especially the workers who have shown great understanding due to the transparency the governor has brought into his handling of the affairs of the state.”
The state therefore advised persons in positions of responsibility to be mindful of information emanating from them to avoid throwing the country into unnecessary turmoil.
