The Edo state government has concluded plans to splash a whopping N500 million on Christmas celebrations, according the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Chairman of the PDP in the state Chief Dan Orbih who made the revelation in a press conference in Benin City said that the amount will double the sum of N220million the government spent in 2014., adding that the development comes despite the state’s waning resources and the economic downturn across the country.
”Information available to us is that Edo state government has concluded plans to withdraw about N500m for a phantom Christmas celebration. We call on the governor to stop this hideous and senseless intention.
“We recall that last year, Edo state government spent over N220m for Christmas mainly using these vouchers: Ext/Gov/GHSP/2586/14 Ext/Gov/GHSP/2580/14 Ext/Gov/GHSP/2563/14; Ext/Gov/GHSP/2578/14; Ext/Gov/GHSP/2522/14; and Ext/Gov/GHSP/2521/14.
“If the stupendous expenses go ahead, Edo state government despite the protests from segments of the society over arrears of unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities is saying it is out of tune with reality,” said Orbih.
The PDP chairman further argued that government’s plan is to continually deplete state funds, ‘at a time the state is engulfed in a huge and unprecedented fraud in various government departments and ministries.’
“This is coming at a time the government acceded to our long revelation of the monumental fraud in the State ICT department by sacking principal officers including the State Head of Service, after we blew the whistle on the ICT unit as a cesspool of fraud,” the PDP chieftain said.
Orbih concluded that ‘since the unit was created by the governor, who also brought in all the principal heads that report to him directly, he should do well, own up and accept responsibility for the fraud.’
Source- Global Patriot News
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