Procuring buses through private firm ploy to enrich individuals – SPN cautions Makinde

 

Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), Oyo State chapter on Monday said that Governor Seyi Makinde’s plan to procure some buses through a private firm was another way of enriching some individuals.

SPN said that such plan was to the detriment of the state.

DAILY POST gathered that Makinde had earlier said that the state government would procure 107 unit of buses in order to ease transportation system in the state.

But SPN while reacting, said that procurement of the 106 unit of buses should be done by the government ministry and not private individuals.

 SPN in a statement made available to DAILY POST by its state secretary, Comrade Ayodeji Adigun demands that the procurement and management of the buses be handled by committee of workers in the Ministry of Public works, infrastructure and Transportation and members of the public.

The party said, “The attention of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN, Oyo State chapter has been drawn to the plan by the Engr Seyi Makinde-led government to procure about 106 units of long buses for the transportation sector of the state. According to media reports, the Oyo State commissioners of Budget and Planning; Youth and Sport and Information and culture, individually claimed that the procurement of these buses which was reportedly cost over #9.3 billion is to transform the state’s transportation sector as well as the economy.

“SPN notes that the procurement of the mass transit buses is a necessary and crucial step needed to be taken in the effort to commence the long overdue process of transforming and revamping the transport sector in the state.

“However, it will amount to a mere illusion and deceit to think that all that is required for the transformation of the transport sector which is presently comatose is just the procurement of mass transit buses. This especially when dangerous and numerous potholes are dominant features of most of our major roads across the State, despite the declaration of “operation zero potholes” by the Engr Seyi Makinde-led government since six months ago.

“This is not to mean that we of the SPN are not aware that some potholes were filled and repaired across some major roads in the State at the earlier stage of this declaration. However, the fact remains that virtually all of the major roads in the Oyo state are still in bad and deplorable condition months after the declaration of the so-called “operation zero potholes”.

“This clearly shows that such an effort is largely tokenistic, cosmetic and a clear indictment on the contract system which is the dubious system under which the so-called “operation zero potholes,” was executed.

“Already, there had been some kinds of accusation and speculations that the over N9.3 billion voted for the procurement of the buses is an inflated contract sum.

“This kind of alternative arrangement to the so-called contract system is to give room for accountability and transparency so that it is possible that proceeds realized from the activities of the buses can be invested not only to further improve the transport sector but also other areas of needs of the people like education, health care, water supply among others. This also means that there must be democratic control of every ministry otherwise as usual any money allocated therein will be looted. Besides, it is not likely these measures will be put in place by Makinde administration being a pro-capitalist government, like its predecessors and counterparts in other states and at the federal level, which typically puts profit and greed of a few over the interests of the people.”