From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has suspended the project consultant of the Ilesa Water Project, Mrs. Tawa Williams, over the alleged mishandling of a $106 million loan for the project.
Former Governor Rauf Aregbesola flagged off the N48.7 billion water project on December 19, 2017, and promised that the project would complete in 24 months.
However, the Governor in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, ordered a full-scale probe of the entire project and disbursed loans alleging that there is no progress on the project despite reported disbursement of N10 billion and another $28million on the project.
After suspending the project coordinator to allow for unhindered review of the loan administration, Adeleke directed the Consultant to return to the government the N70m bulletproof jeep in her possession.
According to the statement, the Governor’s directive was a sequel to the interim report of the State’s Assets Recovery Committee chaired by Dr. Basiru Salami which made recommendations for immediate action to stop the further squandering of loans secured to execute the water project.
“My administration will dig into this matter with all seriousness. The huge fund in question are loans to be repaid. We have a sacred duty to ensure accountability and transparency in the handling of the fund and the project.
“According to the interim report of Salami led committee, the Islamic Development Bank agreed to fund the project to the tune of $65 million while the Federal Government provided $41.94 million.
“So far, a total of $27.073 million has been expended from the IDB loan of $65 million, leaving a balance of the sum of $37.926 million. However, from the Federal Government loan of $41.94 million which the consultant had converted to N12 billion, the sum of N10 billion had been purportedly spent on the project, leaving a balance of N2 billion.
“The committee noted that despite the huge sums of $27.073 million and N10 billion of the state resources (repayable loans) already spent so far, the Ilesa water project is not yet functional and the good people of Ilesa are yet to access any water,” he added.
Similarly, Governor Adeleke has ordered the immediate disbandment of the state’s Mining Joint Taskforce (JTF).
The Governor directed the JTF to hand over all government vehicles and documents in their possession to the Solid Minerals Committee and also ordered the constitution of a new JTF.