Ex-commissioner wants EFCC to probe Oshiomhole’s N14bn website

The administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole has continued to be in the spotlight lately as more damaging allegations are being leveled against it.

The latest accusation is coming from a former Commissioner of Transportation in the state, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, who has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the sum of N14 billion spent by the state government to design a website for its Open Portal project.

He also accused the governor of wasting N500 million on his failed vice presidential ambition in the build up to 2015 election.

Orobosa alleged that the open portal project was a deception to justify the $225m World Bank loan, adding that it would be unjust to Edo people if theEFCC failed to investigate the project.

He also described the Oshiomhole administration as a “mob government where everyone contributes to the affairs of the state without a clear direction of government policy.”

According to him, “The whole bullshit about open portal was arrant deception designed as a cover-up for the growing criticisms of lack of transparency in government operations and a means to justify the $225m World Bank loan, which is about N50bn.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission must investigate the ‘Open Portal’ contract for the benefit of the Edo people. It is outrageous that a mere website design will gulp over N14 billion in a state where hundreds of roads are begging for government attention”, he stated.

The state government has however denied the allegations, saying the governor never spent such money on any vice presidential ambition.

While making the denial, the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Kassim Afegbua, in a statement, said, ”There are several other allegations he made in the said book which we will require him to prove beyond reasonable doubt.

“On the alleged N14bn expended on the Edo State website and open portal, nothing speaks of the mental delusion of this ex-commissioner than this. How can any reasonable person with mental alertness make such a bogus allegation?
“Does that not sound like dubious tales from the moonlight? We are not only proud of our trail-blazing initiative, with respect to e-governance; we are satisfied with the achievements we have recorded in that sector to promote transparency, accountability and probity in governance”, Afegbua stated.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews

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