Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has faulted claims by the former deputy governor of the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore, that the newly inaugurated road was funded by UNESCO.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adelani Baderinwa, stated that the money was sourced from Omoluabi Infrastructure Conservation Fund.
During the inauguration of the 2.8km road named after workers, Aregbesola had explained that the state was saving when there was buoyance, noting that the savings was used for the road and others upon the approval of the state assembly.
“It has come to the attention of the State Government of Osun that an embattled former deputy governor of the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore and some unscrupulous elements are lying around on the funding of the just commissioned Workers Drive, making attempt to misinform members of the public that the former Olaiya-Odi-Olowo- Ita-Olookan reconstructed was financed by UNESCO.
“To set the record straight, the reconstruction of the Workers Drive was financed by the State Government of Osun, and the fund was sourced from the Omoluabi Infrastructure Conservation Fund. Moreover, the Workers Drive is not Osun groove road; it is the road that leads to Osun groove road.
“UNESCO is not in any way involved in the finance of the project at all. It becomes imperative to state that rather than providing fund for the road, UNESCO had requested the government to re-work and change the course of the road that leads to Osun groove so as to retain its being a World Heritage Site. UNESCO made some other demands in this regard.
“As much as the government would not mind fulfilling the UNESCO requests, State Government of Osun does not have the financial wherewithal to do so now for obvious economic reasons.
“Besides, it is a known fact that UNESCO as an organization do not give money for any counterpart project funding; rather, such is given in kind and not in cash as the debased personality of the impeached Deputy governor would want the people to believe.
“It is disturbing that a man who has been a perpetual aspirant to the exalted seat of Governor could lack knowledge of running of an organization such as UNESCO and what the true situation is with the state he so desperately desired to rule.
“It is also pitiable and ridiculous that somebody aspiring to rule the people of Osun cannot differentiate between the road leading to Osun Groove and the one that links the road that leads to the Groove. Omisore is likely to turn the progress march of Osun back if (and God will forbid that) he should mistakenly become Governor with his clear lack of basic knowledge of governance.
“He should be told in clear terms that getting so mischievous is not a good trait that endears an aspirant to the heart of the electorates while lying so blatantly makes one a reject by God and thus, the desperate impeached deputy governor should desist from deliberate efforts at misinform the people of the state and face his disgraceful and ignoble charges with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Aregbesola also challenged anybody with concrete fact about the funding of the road, to come out and show the public.
“Government of the State of Osun challenges Omisore or any of cohorts to substantiate their claims with relevant documents to the effect that the now elegant Workers Drive was funded by UNESCO as they unscrupulously claim.
“Omisore and his ilk that are spreading the lies are political jobbers who are jolted with the success recorded on the completion of the Workers Drive and Governor Aregbesola’s achievements at large.
“The set of mischief makers are making failed attempt to discredit the Governor Aregbesola’s administration and divert attention from the deserved glory and credit derivable from the successful construction of the road despite financial hard time.
“These naysayers are jittery of the Aregbesola’s magic wand of embarking and completing infrastructure projects in spite of the paucity of fund. The good people of Osun would recollect that these set of ‘bad belle’ people had embarked on vandalization of some of the projects some months ago. There stock in trade is violence, vandalization, corruption, lies and mischief.
“We urged the good people of the state to disregard the lies and leave Omisore, and his co-mischief makers to their irresponsibility.
