RE: TARNISHING AWONIYI WITH ALLEGED FRAUD

The attention of His Excellency, Yomi Awoniyi, Deputy Governor of Kogi State has been drawn to the above captioned publication on page 16 of This Day newspaper of Tuesday, October 29, 2013. The story in reference was replete with unfounded and malicious allegations on the alleged mismanagement of the funds received for the 2012 flood relief in the state.

The Deputy Governor would have ignored the publication in the light of the fact that the Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Capt. Idris Wada had much earlier, addressed and debunked the issue of alleged mismanagement of the flood funds with different stakeholders on several occasions. The leadership of the Kogi State House of Assembly has also come out in unequivocal terms to dissociate itself from the rumours being peddled by mischief makers. It declared that it had not received any petition regarding the subject matter.

It is however seems this blatant falsehood is being sustained in public consciousness to resurrect the blackmail and cause disaffection within the leadership of Kogi State.

When the devastating floods hit Kogi State in 2012, His Excellency, Capt. Idris Wada, the Governor of the state, set up the Flood Management Committee to deal with all issues relating to the flood in a holistic and coordinated manner. As part of the mischief being peddled, the word “fund” has been curiously smuggled into the name of the committee just to justify the allegations of misappropriation.
In his wisdom, the Governor appointed the Deputy Governor, who doubles as the Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), as the Chairman of the Flood Management Committee which is made up of 10 Commissioners, 5 Special Advisers, 2 Senior Special Assistants, one Director, one Chairman of a state owned parastatal and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). As part of the high level of accountability and probity with which the Governor is known for, he directed that an account be opened for the donations received from the Federal Government, other states, institutions and individuals. The flood account is operated and run by those statutorily saddled with that responsibility and in line with due process.

It is on record that the Kogi State Government published all donations received and expenditure made in 4 national newspapers including This Day newspapers. To date, no one has come out to controvert the figures. Yet, the publication in question is propagating the purported receipt of 3 billion naira as against the factual figure of N758,039,779.10 which has been published and is therefore in the public domain. The detailed report of the inflow and outflow of funds has also been presented to the Public Accounts Committee of the Kogi State House of Assembly since April, 2013. It is therefore erroneous and misleading to claim that “efforts to make the Deputy Governor render account have proved abortive”.

In furtherance of the mischief, the Deputy Governor is being held out as the so called face of the Kogi State Government. The Deputy Governor is indeed very grateful for the trust and confidence reposed in him by His Excellency, Capt. Idris Wada. That is a trust he has no intention to take lightly or betray. Therefore, it is disingenuous to attempt to put out the a Deputy Governor as the face of Government. To be sure, the Deputy Governor in deference to the Governor has ensured that no official portrait of himself is displayed anywhere across the length and breadth of the state. This is because of his stoic belief that there is only one true captain and authentic face of the Government of Kogi State.

The publication claimed that some people are fighting the Deputy Governor because of his opposition to some contract awards. This betrays a thorough understanding of the workings of the Government under the leadership of Capt. Idris Wada. The Deputy Governor is not responsible for the award to contracts. If a contractor has not discharged himself creditably well in the first instance, it is most unlikely that a second opportunity to further waste scare resources will come the contractors way. Those who know anything about the Governor will attest to this assertion.

Above all, the state adheres strictly to public procurement rules and both the due process unit and the State Tenders committee are totally outside the control or the prerogative of the Deputy Governor.

The entrenchment of probity, accountability and due process is a promise His Excellency, Capt. Idris Wada made to the people of Kogi State. Whatever the Deputy Governor does along those lines is consistent with the agenda of the Wada administration.
On the perception that the Deputy Governor is arrogant and haughty, nothing can be further from the truth. Comments like these can only come from certain elements who want to be accorded certain privileges even when doing such is against best practices.
While not engaging in self adulation, it is important to state that the Kogi State Government has been commended at various levels and fora for its attention and performance in post flood management. The fund received has been judiciously expended on relief provisions for victims, rehabilitation of schools, construction of a 242 units post flood housing estate for risk reduction, rehabilitation of roads affected by flood, provision of vehicles for effective response and coordination and resettlement of some of the victims. While the human recovery efforts may be difficult to measure, there are obvious structures that signpost the responsible deployment of resources received from others and those provided by the state.

These efforts have earned the state support and encouragement from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as well as the European Union and the United Nations who have sent high ranking officials, to see things for themselves. These people won’t waste their time coming to Kogi State if by any stretch of imagination they believe that we mismanage our resources.

The Deputy Governor appreciates the concern that have been expressed by many people who on the knowledge of his person and his antecedents believe that the wrong picture being painted of him were out of character. He would like to reiterate that no kobo has been misappropriated whilst remaining resolute in the discharge of his obligations with diligence, respect and fear of God.