Governor Obaseki’s budget proposal

Sir: The only take-away from the tantrums of APC in their December 5 statement signed by the Assistant Publicity Secretary is that they read the budget. But they have exhibited crass ignorance, unforgivable deliberate deceit and told barefaced lies. We have told them before and will tell them again, opposition politics is not played by deploying fancy catch phrases and words.

How do they expect Edo people to trust them if they can describe the budget proposal that seeks to enhance reforms in government process, stimulate economic prosperity and improve ease of doing business to continuously attract private capital to engender sustainable development  as “completely unrealistic and duplicitously embellished with impractical predications” ? It shows that APC is not just “technically non-existent” as described by one of their leaders but confirm our assertion and assessment a few weeks ago that just like the bird called Dodo, APC is not just dead in Edo, it is extinct and defunct. 

A few months ago, APC garrulously called the N25 billion bond a secretly obtained loan. We educated them on the process and procedure. Obviously, APC lacks understanding and comprehension and they have once again brought it up.

The N25 billion bond proceeds is in the custody of trustees, in line with regulations. 
In putting the bond documentation together (for regulatory approval), benefiting projects and related amounts were identified, all adding up to the N25 billion. 

Disbursements are made by trustees directly to relevant entities implementing each project upon certification by independent consultants appointed by the trustees. This process is not open to influence or manipulation by any individual/entity (let alone EDSG). By the end of (Financial Year) FY2021, N21 billion would have been disbursed (by the trustees) from the N25 billion, leaving a balance of N4 billion to be disbursed in FY2022.

The APC also manufactured lies saying, “The proposal includes water, which is non-existent and which the government has never attempted to provide anywhere in the state, for N1.2 billion.” Edo people know and acknowledge that Obaseki in his 1st term (in conjunction with the EU), embarked on an initiative to make pipe borne water available to residents in Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts at affordable rates. This programme has so far culminated in the reticulation of all properties in Uromi town. Meters are currently being installed and commissioning is expected to be in the first quarter of 2022. The cost of these studies is being paid for by the bond! 

Chris Osa Nehikhare, SPS, PDP, Edo State.