Ondo perm sec denies embezzling N60m SURE-P fund
Dare Olipede, the Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Pension Board in Ondo state has denied being involved in the misappropriation of the N60 Million Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program [SURE-P] fund accruable to some local government areas in the state.
Mr. Olipede who spoke at the weekend while addressing journalists said the funds were judiciously spent on some projects particularly in the Owo Local Government area of the state.
Last week, Mr. Olipede was arrested by operatives of the Police Special Fraud Unit following a petition written against him over allegations of misappropriating the N60 million SURE-P funds.
He said that he was a Director of local government for more than 20 years and had never received any warning letter or query for wrongdoing stressing that those who wrote the petition were out to tarnish his image.
Mr. Olipede revealed that the immediate past administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko gave the N60 Million fund to the local government areas of the state to execute some projects.
He added that the fund was expanded on some visible projects in the Owo Local Government Areas of the state where he also served as a director of administration before his promotion as permanent secretary.
“The administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko gave each local government N60million in October, 2016 for the execution of capital projects in all the 18 local government areas of Ondo state. In Owo local government where I was working then, the N60million was judiciously utilized.
“The N60million was spent on visible projects in Owo Local government. It included the construction of over 1000 meters line drainages in the nooks and crannies of Owo local government, construction of cow market, evacuation of refuse dumps in the nooks and crannies of Owo Local government, repair of the local government faulty grader, renovation of legislative chambers and provision of furniture items, provision of furniture items to the office of the Chairman among others.
“Let me mention that, as a Director of Local Government, I am not a spending officer, my schedule covers supervision of council activities and signing of cheques” he said.
Mr. Olipede disclosed that the state House of Assembly during it’s over sight function visited some of the projects and also adjudged Owo Local Government as the best council where the money was judiciously utilized.
“In fact, the Ondo state House of Assembly in their oversight function in December last year, visited Owo Local Government among other local governments in the state and adjudged Owo Local Government as the best local government that utilized the N60million SURE-P fund judiciously”.
However, the Permanent Secretary alleged that some group of people who are opposed to his status wrote the petitions to EFCC and the ICPC office against him.
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He noted that the allegations contained in the petitions were investigated thoroughly and the two agencies found him innocent.
“When a petition came, principal officers of the local government were invited to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and made satisfactory explanation and the case was closed.
“The same group of people wrote another petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the state government. Investigation was also conducted and no one was found guilty.
“In view of the above, it is a high level of mischief for anyone to have accused me of any fraudulent activity or shady deal.
“The state government carried out thorough investigation about my personality and my activities before it decided to appoint me as a permanent secretary.
“The Governor declared openly and publicly too, that our appointments were based on merit, clean record, efficiency, seniority and equality,” he said.
‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure
