N76 billion World Bank project: Oyo State Government not losing any fund, says Governor Makinde

Segun Showunmi in Ibadan

The Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde has declared that claims in some quarters that the state was about to lose a World Bank loan to the tune of $200 million were unfounded and a misrepresentation.

Penpushing reports that Makinde, while reacting to the allegation said that those peddling the rumour are doing so just to keep their names afloat in the media ,pointing they are  mischievous set of people.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa,  in a statement stated that the Governor had in a detailed explanation on a recently held state television programme, “The Governor Explains” as to the real state of the said World Bank loan.

Penpushing further reports that, the statement said the  Governor  had explained that the total loan was $200 million and that before he came into office the previous administration had already spent $50 million and also committed $100 million to projects, explaining that the remaining  $50 million, was what  the management of the project wants to use to do some works.

The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinola Ojo, who supervises the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP), which is managing the loan, stated in a release on February 15 that the management of the project was following due process in awarding the last batch of contracts.

Penpushing also reports that, Ojo  stated that the state government and the World Bank were not at loggerheads over the project, adding that due process is strictly being followed, noting  that it was unfortunate that some media houses misrepresented facts and figures to drag the project into unnecessary controversy.

The coordinator of the project, Dayo Ayorinde had equally said that the claims that the state would lose the said funds were unfounded, stating that the report was false in its entirety, which negates the reality of the situation.

“It negates the reality of the situation in the bidding process as well as process of engaging contractors for the Second Pool of works at the IUFMP.To the best of our knowledge, there was NO QUERY to the State Government from the World Bank’.

‘The Bidding Process is on course; the two parties involved (the Oyo State Government and the World Bank) are positively engaging the Bid Evaluation Report (BER) through the PIU, and the process is within schedule,” the coordinator had said in the statement made public in February.

Penpushing also reports that Adisa however said that by rehashing the unfounded story, the promoters have shown themselves as agents of fake news which the whole world has been preaching against.

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