The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has issued a stern challenge to the Kwara State Government following its response to the BBC documentary shedding light on the dire conditions of Kankan LGEA School, Asa LGA.
In a press statement released on Friday – obtained by The Informant247 – the PDP criticized the government’s attempts to shift blame to past administrations and demanded transparency regarding the usage of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds.
The BBC documentary revealed the appalling state of education infrastructure in Kankan LGEA School, including pupils learning under trees and sitting on bare floors in dilapidated classrooms.
The PDP characterized these revelations as uncovering years of corruption, mismanagement, and neglect in Kwara’s education sector.
According to Mr. Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments), the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, the government’s access to billions in UBEC funds over eight years (2014-2021) raises serious questions about accountability and transparency.
The Party demanded that the government publish the amounts received and provide a detailed account of how these funds were utilized for public scrutiny.
“Our Party , like every other concerned Kwarans , is highly disturbed that despite several media claims that government has invested over N14.2billion in basic schools across the state since 2020, Kankan LGEA School, just like many basic schools infrastructures are coming to deflate these propaganda and frauds plaguing our education system in Kwara.
“We therefore demand publication of amount of Billions accessed from UBEC as counterpart funding for the year 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017…..2021 and how these funds have been appropriated for public scrutiny, and the Kwaran People, on whose behalf these huge fund were accessed deserve to know how they are expended.”
Mr. Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments), the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP
The PDP expressed deep concern over contradictory claims made by the government regarding investments in basic schools, particularly in light of the dire conditions spotlighted in the BBC report.
The Party challenged the government to focus on addressing current failures instead of blaming past administrations for present shortcomings.
“We ask Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and his government if they will also blame PDP administration for the shoddy job done on Tanke Bridge which has made the Bridge the most controversial government project in Nigeria and uncommissinable since its renovation by Craneburg Construction LTD.
“Will they also blame PDP regime for how contractor employed by Governor Abdulrahman eloped with Transformers’ fund running into hundreds of millions Taxpayers’ money or is it how Government High School, Adeta contract was hyper inflated and shoddy job delivered.
“Will they blame the opposition parties for how a hospital in Patigi was renovated with more than N200m without working generator, hospital facilities and medical personnel, the list can go on and on.
Mr. Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments), the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP
While acknowledging the government’s Commissioner for Communication’s admission of challenges in fixing basic infrastructure since 2019, the PDP firmly rejected attempts to shift blame to previous administrations.
“While our Party applauds the commissioner of communication, Bunmi Olukoju, for public admission of failure when she noted that Abdulrazaq’s administration still grapples with burden of fixing most of basic things since 2019, we frown on her attempts to put the blame on PDP administration which left Kwara State as an outstanding performer in basic education and other sectors.
“If the commissioner could admit that Abdulrazaq’s government can not complete all basic school projects within 8 years, what moral justification does she have to expect PDP administration to have finished everything in the state before 2019 despite paucity of fund?”
Mr. Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments), the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP
The Party emphasized the importance of accountability and urged media organizations to pursue investigative reporting to hold the government accountable.
In conclusion, the PDP called on the APC-led government to apologize to the people of Kwara for deceiving them with false propaganda since 2019.