By Abiola Olawale
Governor Ademola Adeleke has constituted an eight-man committee saddled with the responsibilities of implementing the White Paper submitted by the committee that reviewed the contracts awarded during the administration of his predecessor former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed on Thursday.
The governor, in the statement, said the action was in pursuance of his commitment to transparency and accountability.
The panel was charged with enforcing the recommendations of the review committee and the subsequent White Paper approved by the State Executive Council.
Members of the committee include Kolapo Alimi, Commissioner for Information; Wole Jimi Bada, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; Dosu Babatunde, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters; Jola Akintola, Commissioner for Health; Bashiru Bello, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and Bello Sheriff, Senior Special Assistant on Bureau of Social Services.
“Terms of reference of the panel include enforcing the recommendations in the committee report and White Paper, ensuring prosecution of culprits through relevant agencies, and implementing all institutional recommendations to prevent the recurrence of distortions in contract award and management.
“The committee is expected to commence operations immediately by giving effect to each of the committee recommendations as approved by the State Executive Council,” the statement said.
The New Diplomat reports that Adeleke had been keen on probing the immediate past administration in the state over the mind-boggling allegations of corruption.
It would be recalled that shortly after his inauguration, Adeleke had set up several committees, among which is the contract committee, saddled with the responsibility of looking at contracts and agreements entered into in the name of the state by the Oyetola administration.
The nine-man committee headed by a former Attorney-General in the state, Barrister Niyi Owolade had submitted its report and the white paper report has also been handed to the Governor.
A government insider who spoke with the New Diplomat said the allegations captured in the white paper report were shocking and revealing, prompting members of the kitchen cabinet of the governor to press for a full-blown probe to ensure that officials found culpable in shortchanging the state are made to answer for their crime.
The white paper report detailed instances of allegations of duplicity in contract awards, disregard for due process, and arbitrariness in contract awards among other malfeasance that cost Osun several billions of naira.
