Ize-Iyamu urges probe of Oshiomhole over N400b council allocations

• Why I want to be governor

The Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organisation has faulted a statement by Governor Adams Oshiomhole that he is not to blame for the woes of local council’s workers.In statement by the organisation yesterday, it alleged Oshiomhole’s diversion and misapplication of the allocations was responsible for their inability to pay the workers salaries.

The council workers are currently being owed 10 to 18 months salaries.The oreganisation urged the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate how nearly N400 billion meant for the local councils was mismanaged

“Records from the Federal Ministry of Finance show that the 18 council areas have received nearly N400 billion as federal allocations in nearly eight years. This is outside the internally generated revenue which the state collects monthly on behalf of the council,’’ the statement stated.The statement further read: “From what we gathered from the council authorities, Oshiomhole only pays each chairman or sole administrator N1.7 million monthly as security allowance from the allocation, without the councils knowing how the huge balance is spent.”

“So, Governor Oshiomhole lied when he said the state government was not responsible for the failure of the council authorities to pay their workers. He diverted and misapplied their funds for personal interest and must account for the huge funds,’’ the statement added.The organisation described Oshiomhole’s statement that he meets the monthly wage obligation to the state workers as ‘’empty and bare.’’

It said there is no way the out-going governor wouldn’t have been able to pay the fewer than 2,000 workers with the huge financial resources accruing to the state monthly.It added: “Edo State government today has less than 2,000 workers, compared to eight years ago, when workers on the government’s payroll were over 13,000.”
“Oshiomhole has decimated the state civil service that his government inherited nearly eight years ago. So, he should not see his ability to pay less than 2,000 workers monthly as an achievement,’’ it said.

Meanwhile, Ize-Iyamu yesterday said he is contesting for the office of governor not because he is a pastor, but to right the many wrongs of the last seven and a half years by the APC in the state.
   
The PDP candidate made the disclosure in Benicn City, in the company of his wife, while addressing over 100 pentecostal ministers at the Church Hall of the Christian Gospel Mission, under the aegis of the Christian Leaders Forum.
   
“One does not want to contest because he is a pastor. In Edo State, people are mourning. Poverty has not been as established as we see it today. There is no time in our state that cultism has been promoted than in the last seven and a half years,” he explained.

Ize-Iyamu added that many things are wrong with the state both physical and spiritually. “I am going to government as your representative. I am going to government as your voice. I will not disappoint you or destroy your confidence,” he added.