Your Budget Transparency Report of Oyo state is False – Makinde’s CPS Rejects Survey Reports

The government of Oyo state has adjudged the recently released Budget Transparency report by a Non-governmental organization; the state Budget Transparency Survey report as being wrong and clouded in falsehood.

The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, maintained in a released statement that the state’s budget information was available on the state’s website, negating the organization’s report claiming that Oyo State is the lowest-performing state in Nigeria based on the availability of budget documents for the year 2020.

The statement also made it clear that in line with the Seyi Makinde-led administration’s mandate of open and transparent government, the Ministry of Budget and Planning published the state’s budget information on https://oyostate.gov.ng/resources/

Adisa, however, noted that the negative rating was due to the inability of the survey sponsors to access the website at the time of verification, adding that such a development should not amount to an indictment for the state.

The statement also indicated a researcher from the State Budget Transparency Survey; Mr. Olamide Ogunlade, who was the NGO’s link with the Ministry of Budget and Economic planning during the survey has confirmed that he was finally able to access the state’s website.

Similarly, the statement stated that the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, and other transparency initiatives were able to access the state’s budget information easily, rejecting the negative rating of the state outright.
Some quotes from the statement read: “The recent report of the State Budget Transparency Survey placed Oyo State as the least performing State on the ladder of online availability of Budget Documents for the Year 2020. The report claimed that none of the links worked. (Page 24 of the report)

“In a similar vein, it was reported on page 32 of the same report that only Oyo State did not publish the approved estimates.

“Thus, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning engaged with the researcher who was the link with the ministry in the course of fieldwork, namely Mr. Olamide Ogunlade. Mr. Ogunlade, during a telephone conversation, confirmed that he was able to access Oyo State Budget information on the state’s website and that he also collected hard copies of the Budget documents.

“However, if his superiors were unable to access the website during verification, that should not amount to an indictment on the state. What we expect is that they further crosscheck to ensure they get the true situation of things.

“Therefore, the rating of the state as the least performing state on online availability of budget documents for 2020 cannot be the correct picture of things.

“It is to be placed on record that Oyo State accessed some grants under the Disbursement Link related to Budget Transparency in the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) program. Also, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and other transparency initiatives have easily accessed the State Budget information without hindrance.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the links to the details of Oyo State Budget information are listed below for reference purpose: https://oyostate.gov.ng/resources/ ”