Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining security services through the budgetary process.
This was contained in a statement on Friday signed by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, declaring, “Under my watch, we don’t operate security votes in the sense Nigerians understand it.”
He said that Osun has no slush fund, which many Nigerians regard as ‘security votes’, noting that expenditure on security services is undertaken within the confines of public finance law and regulations.
He listed such security expenditures as operational support for security agencies operating in the state, funding of operations to quell communal crises, support for communal peace activities, and funding of the state security outfit, Amotekun, among others.
Such expenditures, the Governor posited further, are processed within the context of the statutory approval process, which involves raising memos and compliance with government payment procedures.
“I am proud to declare that the Osun State government under my watch does not operate a slush fund that our media friends call security votes. Our security needs are met through the approval process. I face resistance over the policy, but I stick to it even at great cost.
“My motivation for insisting on the policy was the situation I met on the ground in November 2022. I believe Osun needs every kobo to meet her numerous developmental challenges. Our earnings from FAAC allocations and internally generated revenues are channeled to key sectoral projects from infrastructure to agriculture to health, among others.
“We also target payment of workers’ emoluments, pensions, and outstanding salary debt. We maintain a delicate balance on expenditure across human and infrastructure sectors, and within less than three years, we have good records widely verified by local and national stakeholders,” the Governor submitted.
The Governor said his administration demonstrated foresight early enough when it created a special project account where unexpected inflows from FAAC are saved, pointing out that the initiative is a shock absorber and a smart way to ensure completion of ongoing infrastructure projects in the state.
While expecting an early resolution of the Osun local government fund seizure, Governor Adeleke was quoted as reassuring Osun people and other stakeholders that his administration remains focused and committed to completing its human and capital projects on schedule.