Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has described his critics on the alleged huge debt profile of the state as individuals with no clear-cut understanding of the art of governance.
According to him, the notion behind calling the debt profile of the state as huge and a burden is practically mischievous and a reflection of paucity of governmental savvy, saying the debt profile of the state is insignificant in juxtaposition with degree of achievement of his administration in all ramifications.
Aregbesola, who made the remarks while declaring a one day seminar for information officers at the local government open, added that the much talked about N165bn would amount to a financial commitment of paltry over N2,000 on each resident annually, for the duration of 20 years, if shared amongst the four million population in the state.
He argued that the sacrifice for incurring such debt is worthwhile considering the huge infrastructural development and growth in human capital the state had witnessed in the last six years.
“To analyse this alleged 165billion debt, Osun is made up of 4million people. Four million residents are here in Osun and this debt anyway has been transformed largely to a bond organised by Federal Government that would last for twenty years.
“Let us now divide N165billion by 4 million people for 20 years. To help you mathematically. This will give N2,031.25 as cost of N165billion debt to every resident of Osun per annum.
“Ironically, this debt that people are shouting and crying about summed up to N5:56K per person daily. This practically means that every Osun resident carries a burden of N5:56K per day.
“This government we are talking about that puts burden of N5:56K to every citizen of the state, thus feeds every pupil in the public school with N70 every school day.
“That government guarantees security for every citizen and the cost for security can not be determined. That government ensures that roads are increasingly getting better.
“That government provides access to rural areas. That government ensures that Osun school functions at the best form. That government guarantees water supply.
“That government guarantees sanitation. That government guarantees so much. That in practical economic terms, is far beyond what individual must have to give on a daily basis”, Aregbesola resorted.
He, however, charged Information Officers at the local government level to see themselves as information experts and promptly report government activities on the nooks and crannies of the state.
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