Oyo state government spent ₦17.5 million on creating job website;
The award date, however, for the project is absent, hindering accountability and contravening transparency regulations;
Oyo state Bureau of Public Procurement shuns FOI from Dataphyte requesting project information;
Expert criticises outlandish expenditure, demanding government accountability.
Familiar with the saying “spend money to make money”? Governor Makinde certainly is, all the while ignoring the latter. According to data from Oyo state’s open contracting portal, Engr Seyi Makinde contracted Messrs Primadelta Management Company Limited for a whole ₦17.5 million. To design a website. Not invest in education, agriculture or any other sector. But to develop a web portal for job seekers.
A great idea, right? Youth empowerment, after all, is the 2021 target. But what type of server or site requires over a million. A website for the future? Nevermind that sum could rehabilitate classrooms in Ibadan. What is more? The project award date is missing, so we do not know if Messrs commenced the development.
What we do know, however, is that the job registration portal is part of Oyo state employment scheme to advertise employment opportunities in the Teaching Service Commission. Also related is the recruitment exercise into the regional police corps dubbed Amotekun in 2020.
Oyo state government inflated expenses
Further inquiry by the reporter unveiled the extent to which Engineer Makinde’s government inflated the contract sum. Freelance web designer dubbed ”Prof P” maintained that “a portal of such should be in the range of four hundred thousand naira to seven hundred thousand naira.”
Once again, this speaks to the fiscal irresponsibility of federal actors which Dataphyte observed on several occasions. The data outfit further notes that besides the outlandish nature of some of these transactions by MDAs and state governments, it highlights misplaced priorities. In all, governments should carry out projects based on a needs assessment with the best value for money.
Scanty Project information
Moreover, the absence of crucial contract details is in clear violation of the state’s open contracting regulations; it states: “All Oyo state government public procurement projects transparently displayed for public interaction and engagement.”
State BPP Turns Dumb on FOI
Meanwhile, the Oyo Bureau of Public Procurements (Due Process) stayed mute after an FOI request. To get insight into the contract details and ascertain if the contract followed due process, Dataphyte petitioned the Bureau for more information. The request was, however, futile as the agency did not respond, even after seven working days; the stipulated waiting period.
Experts criticise outrageous spending.
For development expert Hamzat Lawal, the transactions bore a disconnect with Governor Makinde’s transparency mantra. The Connected Development Founder further criticised the outlandish contract sum, demanding the state government respond to the FOI request.
“I think this report does not portray the kind of example the Oyo state governor is speaking to. He always talks about transparency and accountability. It does not cost that much to build a user-friendly website that will engage the citizens. They should respond to the FOI”.
Hamzat Lawal