‘Aregbesola leased Osun helicopter to raise funds’

Adegboyega Famodun, chairman of the Osun state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has alleged that Rauf Aregbesola, governor of the state, has leased the state-owned helicopter to raise funds.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Famodun said the governor would not consider the advice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to sell the helicopter, because it was being used for surveillance in the state.

“The opposition recently gave an unsolicited advice to the state government, asking it to sell its surveillance helicopter. It was an uninformed call,” he said.

“You will all recall the spate of armed banditry in the state prior to our coming. At the time, inter-state bandits roved freely as they seize the wealthy and especially financial institutions by the jugular, making banks to close abruptly and remain shut for business for days.

“People slept with one eye open. At our coming, the state government put many security measures in place, including the purchase of armoured personnel carriers (APC) and aerial surveillance helicopter in 2013.

“Those calling for the sale of the helicopter are ignorant and mischievous because they are just asking for the disposal of an instrument being used for the security of the citizens.”

He accused the federal government under former president Goodluck Jonathan of frustrating the effort of the state to provide security.

“The helicopter was practically disabled by the federal government itself. Before the surveillance machine was bought, the governor built a state-of-the-art call centre that will operate with a special security code,” he said.

“The FG-controlled NCC (Nigeria Communication Commission) refused till today to provide the special code for the helicopter to be linked with ground equipment for surveillance. Thus the surveillance helicopter was effectively disabled.

“The chopper was however put on lease and it is making money for the state and only recalled for use as the need arises. It is one of the sound financial decisions made by the government.”

While speaking of the Aregbesola-led Osun state track record, he said the state is known for “paying 13th month salary”, attributing the current shortfall to over 80 percent drop in statutory allocation.

“As of now, allocation has dropped by nearly 80 percent. For instance, at the peak of statutory allocation to Osun, the state got N5.5 billion in February 2013 but this has dropped to N466 million by April 2015,” he said.

He noted that inability of government to pay salaries was not limited to Osun but across 23 states of the federation.