Honeymoon Is Over, We Will Insist On Nigeria First Above All Other Interests — Hon Stanley ‘Odidiomo
By Henry Odeh
The Oyo state federal lawmaker representing Ibadan North West/South West at the green chamber of the National Assembly, Honourable Adedeji Stanley Olajide, has said that as the House Of Representatives prepares for its plenary resumption on Tuesday 29th of September 2020, it is no longer going to be business as usual.
Hon Stanley who is the chairman, House committee on public account, made this known while addressing the press in Ibadan on Friday shortly after the committee concluded its engagement exercise with federal agencies and parastatals in the state.
Hon Stanley who is popularly called Odidiomo explained that the committee has concluded its assignment in the state and would present its report to the house as soon as possible.
He said that honeymoon was over and it is not going to be business as usual any longer. This was stated by the lawmaker in response to a question on his thought about the federal government’s rail project to the borders of Nigeria and Niger republic.
He lamented the deplorable state of federal roads across the south west region of Nigeria stressing the entire Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the house of representatives will insist on Nigeria and Nigerian interests first above any and all other interests.
The eloquent lawmaker explained that it was normal for any state or nation to spend its way through a period of pandemic or economic recession, he stressed that the most important part of the whole spending must be value driven and value based.
He noted that the leadership of the PDP at the green chamber will ensure that the federal government is held accountable for all the borrowings and Nigerians are the direct beneficiaries of whatever projects or programs the funds are expended on.
Honourable Yemi Taiwo, representing Ido/Ibarapa federal Constituency and also a member of the public account committee, explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly altered economic and socio-economic activities not only in Nigeria but the entire world.
He however assured that the committee will give advise and recommendations appropriately in its report and will ensure that the conditional cash transfer by the FG is not just reported to have been disbursed but must be seen to have been adequately disbursed to Nigerians to cushion effects of the hardship occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier, Honourable Stanley explained that the N5,000 (five thousand naira) being disbursed to those termed as poorest of the poor can not make any meaningful purchase in the face of the current economic realities adding that advice will be given to the FG with regards to upward review of the funds if necessary.
Odidiomo as he is popularly called, however commended the executive governor of Oyo state, Engr Seyi Makinde, for instituting laudable economic policies and programs with immediate positive impacts on the people.
He described governor Makinde as core democrat whose dedication to service and commitment to delivery of dividends of democracy to his people is unrivalled.
Some of the Federal Government Agencies invited by the House Committee on Public Account at the performance audit in Ibadan are N-power, National Social Safety Net, Government Enterprise And Empowerment Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, Home Grown Feeding, UBEC, SDGS Transmission Company of Nigeria, and TETFUND.
