We have taken zero loans to fund budget since 2022 — Osun Commissioner clarifies
The Osun state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi has clarified that the state has not obtained any loan to fund its budget in 2024.
The Commissioner made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday in response to an alleged N12 billion loan facility obtained by the state.
Describing the report as fiction of imagination of detractors and members of the opposition who are hellbent on twisting facts to mislead the public, Kolapo emphasised that the Osun state Executive Council has neither received nor approved any loan request from Governor Adeleke for funding the 2024 budget from November 2022 till date, affirming that all budget funding has been within the confines of the federal allocation (FAAC) and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“The administration of His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke has not taken any loan from November 2022 till date. Despite the lean purse and meager resources of the state, the Governor has employed a frugal approach in managing state resources. All our infrastructural projects are being funded with allocation from the federation and independent revenue.”
Addressing the purported N12 billion loan request in the news report, Oluomo Kolapo explained that development partnership is a national decision jointly taken by comity states to advance development from the grassroots.
He further disclosed that Nigeria and World Bank, in partnership with Osun and other state governments is running several developmental programmes like School feeding; Osun-CARES etc.
“Osun like several other states of the federation is committed to development partnership decision jointly taken with the federal government. The World Bank in partnership with the Federal Government is funding several development programmes like the O-CARES programmes, School feeding programmes among others.
“These are National Programmes approved by the National Economic Council (NEC) and jointly funded under the World Bank partnership model. They are programmes inherited from the immediate past administration in Osun State.
“Governor Adeleke will continue to support programmes and initiatives that will advance the development of the people of Osun State,” the statement concluded.
