From Gyang Bere, Jos
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State are fighting dirty over the 2022 budget signed into law by Governor Simon Lalong.
The PDP described the 2022 budget as a systematic aggregation of corrupt estimates of expenditure prepared by Governor Lalong to swindle the state of its resources as the government winds up.
The party in a statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary, John Akans said it was obvious that the document was designed to loot the state of its resources.
“The Plateau State 2022 appropriation bill presented to the State Assembly late last year by governor Simon Bako Lalong is nothing but a systematic aggregation of corrupt estimates of expenditure prepared to swindle the state as the government sets to wind up.
“Perusing through the hurriedly arranged document, it was obvious that it was so designed to loot the State resources and serve in the personal interest of the governor and his desperate cronies.
“The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is ashamed that a government serving its 7th year in office could still be mindless and heartless to the point of deceiving its innocent and suffering citizens at this moment.”
The Party said it will not seat and watch the APC presenting an anti-people budget geared towards undermining the growth and development of the state and vowed to raise the alarm for people to uncover the incompetence and corrupt leadership.
Akans said the 2022 budget is not different from previous budgets since the first budget of the present administration in 2016 has failed to give a clear road map on how to pull the economy of the state out of the current slump and restore it to the path of hope and growth.
“The budget had completely failed to address the current economic and infrastructural issues of the state and did not have an economic direction for a turnaround of the system.
“For instance, the governor has failed to tell us how the budget intends to finance the N18billion British American Junction flyover as it is not even captured in the document.
“The budget did not also spell how the government intends to rebuild the Jos main market and the Zaria road stadium and above all, how his overall budget intent to boost public consumption. Neither did the budget lay down a road map to bring in investment in the state. governor Lalong deliberately read out a long speech to obfuscate the people.”
He explained that the state tourism sector has collapsed, with a high level of food and security crisis with no jobs for the citizens, yet the budget did not provide an answer to any of these threats to human existence.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Plateau State has reacted swiftly and urged Plateau people to ignore the allegations raised by the opposition PDP on the 2022 budget.
The statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary, Hon. Sylvanus Namang said Governor Simon Lalong is committed to securing his people and building solid infrastructural development in the interest of the people.
“The PDP is rambling about the state’s budget and making hollow noise about looting and as usual, other very unsubstantiated claims.
“This is because they have been absent from the political scene due to continuous alienation and rejection by the people of Plateau state, the PDP remnant is just reflecting on “Budget Speech” which was presented during the era of former Speaker Abok Nuhu Ayuba before they bewitched him.
“We wonder what “Budget speech” the PDP is referring to apart from the one presented on the floor of the House which the House duly considered and passed under the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda and which was assented to by the governor.
“The PDP woefully failed through its meaningless and empty press release to convince even a pedestrian watcher of events in the state. It embarked on a journey without a specific destination by using its shamelessly mischievous spokesman to issue a press release ostensibly to convince the public that they know what they are talking about, especially when they know very well that the implementation of the budget has just started.”