The Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State has cautioned the state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, against wasting resources of the state on unnecessary overseas trips that have no meaningful impact on the people of the state.
In a statement signed by the PDP’s Director of Media and Strategy, Osun State chapter, Prince Diran Odeyemi, the party alleged that Aregbesola has spent N1.3 billion in the last six weeks “on frivolous overseas trips” thereby unable to channel the resources of the state towards appropriate efforts that will aide growth and development.
Odeyemi added: “We deemed it fit to caution Mr. Rauf Aregbesola stop wasting the scarce resources of the state on unwarranted sponsored overseas trips. Such trips cannot affect the lives of the people of Osun State in any way despite the huge cost implication.
“The governor sent his appointed council chairmen and five others from each of the 30 Local Government Councils totaling 150 to London recently. It was claimed that they went for a seminar and each one of them collected N4 million as estacode. What manner of seminar will gulp N160 million and of what benefit is this to the people of Osun State.
“Also, not quite long ago, Osun State Government sponsored some people to Ghana. That particular one was packaged by the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy matters at the instance of the Action Congress of Nigeria leader, Senator Bola Tinubu.
“The people he sent to Cuba for May Day came back without any benefit for the state and yet another trip to America is bing planned against next month. Aregbesola has refused to give reason for all these trips sponsored on the bill of the state.”
Odeyemi also criticised Aregbesola over the inability of his administration to perform well, adding that it had abandoned substance for shadow chasing.