Open letter to His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
Kwara Yesterday and Today: What is the place of Transparency and Accountability?
Sir, may I remind you of your exact words to Kwarans at the inauguration on 29th May, 2019, “What we have lacked before now are dependable and sustainable development plans, credible policies and policy discipline, accountability and transparency, a good sense of social justice and ability to expand social and political spaces that will promote tolerance, equality and innovation. These are areas where our government will make a difference.” This was a clearly stated expression which I believe represent your personality as a man with good intentions for the state. But in as much as I would not want to condemn your action so far on the subject matter, I am afraid nothing much has been done to walk the talk. Therefore, I will like to draw your attention to a letter written by a Civil Society Organisation called ENetSud dated 4th November, 2019 on expenditure of Kwara funds.
For a man who has sincerity embedded in his characters, I don’t think this is too much to ask and I believe, sir, that you will direct your Office or MDAs concerned to respond to the letter soon.
Interestingly Sir, you will also recall that the Kwara State Government officials met with a delegation of the Independent Verification Agents (IVAs) from the Federal Government as part of a competitive bid to access $18million grant from the World Bank to fix infrastructural deficits. As you may be aware that among the criterion to qualify the state for the grant are Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability for Result (SFTAS), other important criteria that the State must meet is to publish its Annual Budget online on or before February of the year, now I ask; Can we meet this in 2020?
It also follow that the audited financial statement must be ready on or before September of the following year( I hope this is ready though), Improved Internally Generated Revenue and Good governance. Consequently, the statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Planning Mr Oyelowo, that Kwara has satisfied the first criteria is hard to believe taking into context the reality.
Sir, please note that these criteria were not just there overnight but rather a foundation laid by the former administration. It seem much solid in terms of transparency and open governance. It is our hope that that you will sustain and surpass it for onward benefits of the state from the National and International bodies.
Conclusively, Federal Government has recently simplified the open governance and accountability process by opening a portal for citizen engagement to avoid the likes of ENetSud prompt questions on spending, it is my hope that you will take the advantage of the timing.
We appreciate your passion and commitment to physical development of the state. But I won’t be fair to myself and Kwarans without echoing this sentiment sir, “when is the first Cabinet Meeting?”.
Thank you sir and God bless Kwara and the rest of the world.
Suleiman Oladimeji writes from Ilorin.
