– Says it is the Deputy Governor’s 22nd Trip in 21 Months
A non- governmental organization in Ekiti State, the Ekiti Justice Group (EJG), has berated the state’s deputy governor, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka, over
her planned trip to London to watch the Olympic Games, saying the trip was to say the least, wasteful.
The group, which said the London trip will be the deputy governor’s 22nd since she assumed office 21 months ago, alleged that the deputy governor was set to embark on the trip with the State Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Mr. Folorunso Olabode and retinue of aides.
EJG, which alleged in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, today and signed by its Director of Communications and Strategy, Comrade Gbenga Babawibe, that over N10 million was budgeted for the trip noted that; “it is the height of irresponsibility for a state government to be lavishing public fund on government officials’ frivolous foreign trips as being done by the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government.”
“The question these people that are wasting Ekiti State funds on frivolities must be asked is; what is the business of Ekiti State Government with Olympic Games?
“This is bearing in mind that even the Federal Government had to reduce its delegation to the London Olympic Games to cut cost.
“Most importantly, to say that this will be the Deputy Governor’s 22nd trip abroad since she assumed office as Deputy Gov 21 months ago makes it more worrisome.
“In September, last year for instance, we had to cry out when the deputy governor did not come to the office for over one month, and we are aware that she had embarked on not less than six foreign trips this year alone.
“It is therefore important that the state government explain to Ekiti people the purpose on which they will be spending $720 per day as estacode on the deputy governor and another over $1,500 on her aides and the Sports Commissioner just to watch Olympic Games that do not put one plate of rice on the tables of Ekiti people,” EJG said.
The group, which raised the alarm over the wasteful spending of the state fund alleged that “apart from $720 that the deputy governor gets as estacode per day on a foreign trip that does not have any bearing on the development of the state, other aides that will travel with Mrs Olayinka will also get estacode running into thousands of dollars.”