The Civil Societies Coalition for Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) has lambasted Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, for spending of a whopping N140 million on the 25th anniversary celebration of the state.

According to the group, expending such a huge amount of money to mark the carving out of Osun out of old Oyo State at a time when indigenes of the state are facing economic hardship is unreasonable and unacceptable.

In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by the CSCEOS’ Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman, the group said all indications showed that the money was meant to be shared by the cronies of Governor Aregbesola.

It stated that Aregbesola has turned all events in the state into conduit pipes through which Osun meager resources are being siphoned into private purses of individuals. The group pointed out that the governor embarked on a frivolous celebration without feeling the plights of the state indigenes.

“Such a celebration should not cost more than N10 million when the state as part of the federating unit of the country is facing economic recession,” the statement read.

The civil group challenged the state government under Aregbesola’s watch to come out from its shell and tell the public what such amount would be spent on during the purported anniversary which was slated to hold on Saturday, 27th of August, 2016.

It further alleged that Aregbesola has been insensitive to the plights of the good people of the state since November 26, 2010 when he came to power in the state, insisting that the state government released such gargantuan amount of money for just ordinary celebration when the state workers and retirees were wallowing in abject poverty and dying as a result of non-payment of workers’ salaries and pension for period of seven to eight months respectively.

According to the statement, “The release of the sum of N140 million for the purpose of marking this event is something that calls for concern of well meaning people of the state when thousands of workers and pensioners and by extension, millions of citizens are wallowing in hunger and misery due to the non-payment of their bread winners their legitimate salaries and pension due for the period of seven to eight months.

“There is nothing to celebrate by Aregbesola’s government because the government has been a source of sorrow to the people of the state in almost six years now, which is why they are praying fervently for its winding up.

“We insist that this is another tactics being employed by Aregbesola and his cronies to siphon the meagre resources of the state under the guise of anniversary celebration when the same government is claiming that its purse is lean as a result of huge debts.”

CSECO, however, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate this financial crimes of Aregbesola under the guise of marking the 25th years of thecreation of the state.

•Photo shows Governor Aregbesola dressed like a student.

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