ONDO 2020: PDP is showing lazy opposition — Ojogo, Information Commissioner

...Akeredolu’s projects ‘re 2020 campaign points

By Dayo Johnson

Ondo former commissioner of information: Yemi Olowolabi, Donald Ojogo and Mrs Olawunmi Olatunji Edet at the swearing in Akure

MR. Donald Ojogo is the Information and Orientation Commissioner in Ondo State, In this interview, Ojogo speaks on the people’s expectations and government desires for 2020; he equally faulted claims of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state ahead of this year’s governorship election.

The governorship election is due this year, what should the people of Ondo state expect?

The year 2020 is the year of so many expectations. It will be a year of expectation from the electorate and the people of Ondo state. It is also the year of desires on the part of the government because there are several things that are ongoing that should be taken to the destination of our minds.

There are so many things that the government is trying to initiate in form of projects. 2020 is promising on all sides. 

The first and most important thing we desire from God is a long life and peace for all to witness those good things in 2020.

Reports have it that many ongoing projects will be inaugurated by governor Akeredolu this year. Is that not political or is it coincidental?

Well, if you say it is coincidental, you are correct and if you say it is strategic on the part of the government to complete them as you have said yes we ought to have completed them before now because our desire was not just to keep them in abeyance, No. I don’t think so but if you say so, you might not be totally wrong.

What is even wrong if we commission them and make them our campaign points? 

Fine, because one of the reasons this government came into power is to be able to bring development closer to the people and if there are one or two things that have been initiated by the government in form of projects and they are likely to be commissioned in an election year, so be it.

It is a plus to any government to have tangible things to point out when it is the time to campaign. So we thank God that we have a lot of things to point out during our campaign period.

The opposition PDP in the state is of the opinion that much should not be expected from your government because it has failed the people of Ondo State.

Well, I never expected anybody in the PDP to say anything different from what you have said he reportedly said. 

I wouldn’t expect anybody to say anything different.

The government that has within three years taken very courageous steps in terms of developmental initiatives that have surpassed the previous years of PDP government that was in place, how would PDP person commend. No right-thinking PDP man will clap for this government. That is the truth.

So, if they are not clapping for us, we won’t be angry and we are not even taking it in any negative form. That is the duty of the opposition and if they are not saying that, who will say it?

But the truth of the matter is that whoever is saying that, is just trying to echo the mindset of the frustrated minority. 

Whatever they are saying is the voice of the frustrated minority.

The PDP spokesman was emphatic about the level of transparency of your government in the execution of projects.

If he acknowledged the fact that projects are executed, that’s fair enough of him. But the other leg which, he intends to know much about if the projects executed are not transparently done, the books are there.

Why do we have the ministries of Budget and finance? 

Let them go and verify. They can take maximum advantage and leverage on the freedom of information law.

Let them come out with facts and figures. Our books are clean and transparent enough. This government is courageously accountable to the people. So if they feel some projects have been done, I salute their courage for saying that.

The other leg where they feel there was no transparency or accountability in the course of the execution of those projects, it is left for them.

We are serious in delivering good governance and we cannot add the burden of trying to get facts for the opposition. That cannot be added to the duties of the government. They must do that. They should not be lazy.

Won’t governance be affected as governor Akeredolu will be so busy attending to more political engagements this year?

I can assure you that no government activities will be affected in any way. Since 2016 that government came into place alongside major political activities in 2015 and 2019, nothing was affected in governance and 2020 will not be different. 

The payment of salaries will not be affected in 2020.

Governor Akeredolu prioritises the welfare of workers in the state and that resolve is strong and unwavering in him and we have all inculcated the belief that the welfare of workers is paramount. 

Politics cannot take the shine of the welfare of workers in the state, he said.