By Levi Odogwubueze Jnr.
These trumped-up allegations by Johnpaul Anih and his sponsors, hiding under Coal City Youths Development Initiative, over the Enugu State 2020 budget, are false, baseless, mischievous and misleading.
For instance, it is on record that Enugu State Government executes development projects in phases. There is nothing like repeating the same project featured in last year’s budget in the currrent 2020 budget. Phase one of a particular road project may be in last year’s budget and phase two of the same project in this year’s budget. That doesn’t mean that it was repeated.
The fact is that the budget followed due process and in accordance with international best practice. It is obvious that Johnpaul Anih and his sponsors do not understand how budget operates and have just ended up exposing their gross ignorance and mischief.
The writer, Johnpaul Anih and his so-called irrelevant Coal City Youth Development Initiative are totally naive about the difference between Budget Proposal & Implementation.
Budgetry provision will not have CONTRACTORS’ names attached until appropriated by Procurement Process & approved by EXCO.
Also, Construction of Under-pass/Flyover or T-JUNCTION NIKE LAKE ROAD came up for the first time in 2020 BUDGET PROPOSAL and would not have been done earlier.
Further facts debunking these mischievous allegations are as follow:
1. Nike Lake – Nike road junction underpass (flyover) is a new project in the 2020 budget with a budgetary provision of N1.8billion.
2. N4.5 billion for construction of urban and rural roads are provided for, to take tackle urban and rural needs for road intervention. This will be done as the need arises.
3. N500 million for Ikem-Eha Amufu is retention payable to the contractor.
4. Contractors are not mentioned in the budget. Contractors are mentioned at the point contract award.
5. Infrastructure includes bridges, buildings, power supplies etc. No money can be spent without a project. The 2019 budget performance when released will show the details of budgetary activities.
6. PEWASH is taking-off this year. Again, budgetary provision does not mean actual spending. They are two different activities.
7. The aim of the N200 million budgetary provision is to make Ajali Water Scheme work.
8. Those projects are to provide water and beef-up water supply.
9. Already into consideration.
10. Budgetary provisions are different from actual procurement. The aim of the N120 million is to make the State Information Library work. This requires furnishing.
11. I don’t understand the question. ENHA can answer better
12. The N516 m allocated to governor’s office is for procurement of automated drones for surveillance, while the amount allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government is for vehicles (security and official), contrary to the allegation by Coal City Youths Development Initiative that it was only for “security gadgets”. Of course security vehicles will be equipped with security gadgets.
13, 14, 15, 16 Projects are already under serious considerations.
17. Additional pavilions.
18. Government priority is to develop other Urban Centers to reduce rural-urban migration.
The public should, therefore, disregard these baseless allegations by Johnpaul Anih and his cohorts.
– Levi Odogwubueze Jnr.
