Governor Sanwo-Olu speaks on Lagos spending, says there could be mistakes on some items

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, said officers in the state have come out to show that there could be mistakes on some items in the records released by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (PPA).

Sanwo-Olu spoke against the backdrop of criticisms that have trailed the open letter by the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos State, Funso Doherty, over the spending of the government.

An online report had claimed that over N2 billion was budgeted for the office of deputy governor for the supply of rechargeable fans and lights as well as fridges among other ludicrous spending.

Speaking on the issue on Tuesday when he commissioned a newly built operational headquarters of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) in Ikeja, the state capital, the governor said that his administration is committed, responsible, and transparent.

He added that his administration will continue to publish its spending despite criticisms.

The governor, in a statement by his spokesman, Gboyega Akosile, noted that the controversy was unnecessary, stressing that the state had nothing to hide in its public expenditure.

Sanwo-Olu said, “Over the weekend, we saw on social media how some people can politically turn around all of our attempts to be responsible, transparent, and committed to good governance. We don’t have a problem with any individual. We, indeed, acknowledged that this is the way it should be. We appreciate the fact that people can look at us in the face and say you need to do well in this area.

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“We don’t have a problem with the originator of the open letter; in short, we like him and we thank him. Indeed, if we are seen as a government that is transparent and responsible, we should not be shy of criticism. But, it is only when criticism is malicious and is misrepresenting the truth, that is when there will be a problem.

“Officers in Lagos State have come out to show that there could be mistakes on some lines of items. There was a particular issue where an item was meant to be N2 million but was written as N2 billion. There are many discrepancies that have been corrected by PPA. We are not going to join issues with anyone on social media. All we are committed to is continuous service to the people of Lagos.”

Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had maintained open books for checks and balances, pointing out that the state had judiciously appropriated funds for projects and services that benefited the residents.