By Tunde George & Kasali Martins

tundegeorge20@yahoo.com, kasalimartins1960@yahoo.com

thetruefaceoflagos@gmail.com

0807 266 2201, 081 249 8568, 0813 296 7667



We are tax payers residents in Lagos who are desperately desirous of accountability since taxes have recently become major revenue of Lagos State government. In the developed societies where a similar revenue regime operates, associations such as ours have acted as Government Watchdogs, which is why some of us have decided to take up the gauntlet of championing the cause of taxpayers in the state. After all if we don’t pay our taxes, government can charge and eventually jail us.



In the last ten years, tax revenue has come to constitute about 75 per cent of government revenue base, yet, the government never bothers to render account to tax payers in Lagos . In the last three years alone, a colossal sum of 1.1 trillion naira was budgeted by Fashola’s government with the government itself affirming that it has consistently recorded a minimum of 75 per cent of budget performance out of which 80 per cent came from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).  This is 30 per cent more than the entire budgets recorded by successive governments between 1992-2007-a period spanning 15 years.



Today, the total tax revenue of Lagos on a monthly basis hovers between N14 and N17 billion naira while federal allocations come to N6 billion Naira monthly. This is more than the revenue of seven states put together on a monthly basis. But how has the governor been spending the money? While we note the heavy investments in roads and environmental infrastructure mainly and commendably so, there is the need to question some of the ways the governor has been expending tax money which in our opinion reflects financial recklessness, mismanagement, gross constitutional violations and abuse of office.



Set below are some of the expenditures which the government claimed to have incurred on behalf of ‘Lagosians’ and which we feel were mere avenues to corruptly enrich some privileged individuals in and out of government and to which the state House of Assembly under the tutelage of ‘governor emeritus’ otherwise known as the Lion of Bourdillon has become an accomplice covering up a lot of misdeeds on the part of the executive. Just last week, it was alleged that each member of the House was given a sum of 20million naira through a lawyer member of the House from the Lagos west senatorial district, the constituency of the governor emeritus himself. When this was about to be leaked to the press, the Lion of Bourdillon used his powerful media contacts through two of his former aids who are media chieftains to suppress the leakage. Were this not to be the case, we would have otherwise sent these complaints to the House of Assembly. But since we no longer trust this pliant House of Assembly, we have decided to go public with the following:



1. Last year, Fashola (BRF) gave N250 million to Rotimi Akeredolu led Exco of NBA for the NBA conference held in Lagos . At a time when Lagos teachers and doctors were on strike for improved welfare package.



2. The BRF government within 6 months, January to June 2009 spent N420 million on hiring of private security – to guard who – despite his heavy investment in the Police Force through the State Security Trust Fund.



3. BRF spent N1.5 billion to demolish the Bank of Industry (BOI) building, paying a company introduced by one Tunji Olowolafe in cash transfer only for him and his cronies to claim the land adjacent to it.



4. BRF government awarded part of Western Avenue ( Funsho Williams Road ), about 2 kilometres road for N7.7 billion just between Abalti Barracks and Costain. And without the construction of any bridges, the project was carried out by Julius Berger. This project must certainly be investigated.



5. Between January and June 2009, the BRF government claimed to have fuelled 225 vehicles in his office alone with N135 million. These figures amount to about N800, 000 per day, at a time that petrol was sold for N65 per litre and government always get it cheaper, but BRF claimed to have bought it at N85 per litre.



6. Also between January and June 2009, BRF’s Chief of Staff and PAs expended N290 million in sending TEXT Messages and phone CALLS on their lines.



7. It is also very sickening to know that the BRF government awarded the construction of a road and drains inside Gbagada General Hospital for over N1.8 billion to the same Tunji Olowolafe’s company (DEUX Projects Limited).



8. The sum of 1.5 billion naira of un-appropriated funds, without approval was claimed to have been spent on demolition of Oshodi.



9. The Helicopter Deal – was a big fraud. The helicopter was not built for any kind of emergency evacuation, rescue or to even combat urban fire.  Over N5 billion has been spent on the two helicopters. And, the seal of Lagos State is not on it, and it is not even in Lagos but in the Niger Delta making money for some private people in government. The whole helicopter deal stinks to high heavens; it constitutes the biggest governmental fraud of all times and confirms the rot in the State. See ThisDay December 19, 2009



10. The SSA (Media) to BRF spent N183 million in 6 months on press coverage and on editors outside the approved budget but funded directly from the Governor’s Office.



11. In a State where children are sitting on the floor in classrooms, where unemployment is rampant and poverty pervasive. BRF paid a lady wife of a controversial pastor over N600 million in 2 years for Xmas Decorations for about six streets in Lagos.



12. In Six months between January and June 2009, BRF spent on several faceless organisations, subventions, grants and donations and they quickly pocketed N2 billion.

         

         THE RIPPING OFF OF LAGOS – ESSENTIAL DETAILS

1.          The BRF government recklessly increased and paid over 60%  increase on the LASU – IBA road awarded by the Bola Tinubu government for N6.2 billion but was jerked up to N10 billion less than 2 weeks that BRF came on board.



2.          Also, the Tinubu administration awarded the construction of City Hall for N2.3 billion. BRF only changed the floor tiles to marble tiles and increased the contract sum to N5.2 billion. This project was increased by 126%.



3.           Publishing of INDICATOR Magazine, is falsely presented to the public as a private magazine but is actually co-ordinated by Tunji Olowolafe and Hakeem Bello, SSA (Media) to BRF with government money.



4.           BRF recently gave a media-related Permanent Secretary, and some others the sum of N100 million to do a soap opera on himself. They are presently in London recording the film.



5.           The BRF government has failed woefully in the area of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in three years. Yet, BRF is paying the PPP boss in Lagos State N2 million per month in violation of the Constitution, when even commissioners recognised by the Constitution are receiving N300,000 per month. The PPP guy is the highest paid government official presiding over a non-performing and failed parastatal. 



6.          The Beautification Programme of Fashola administration is reeking with corruption. In a State where there is no water, where over 90 per cent of the road in Lagos is in a deplorable state of disrepair, he is spending over N13 billion on planting grass and flowers. Most of the money was spent to import Palm trees from Niger Republic , a sahel region when Lagos is in the rain forest which explains why most of them have dried up,



7.           Also, it is important to note that the renovation of classrooms of usually 12 blocks plus one which was done for N26 million by the Tinubu administration up till 2007 was increased to N53 million with the collaboration of the housing commissioner who is supervising projects in the education ministry.



8.           CCTV project was awarded to BRF’s relation who claimed to be acting for CISCO. The contract was awarded for $62 million dollars, while the rejected quote for the contract was $30 million. It is important to note that this is only a pilot scheme.



9.            BRF’s wife travels abroad once bi-monthly and takes N30 million per trip from the State coffers, apart from her monthly running cost.



10        The mother of all rip off is the award to DEUX PROJECT LIMITED, a company owned by the powerful Tunji Olowolafe 11 out of 19 contracts in the Lagos State Ministry of health between January and August 2009. Out of N5.6 billion naira contract in the Ministry of Health, Olowolafe alone collected N5.1 billion worth and was paid 70% upfront in cash. 



          OTHER QUESTIONS

1.      Why did BRF divert N1.85 billion in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to a project that was not originally provided for in the budget and promptly awarded to Olowolafe?

2.      Why is Lawyer BRF’s administration illegally deducting funds from the statutory allocation of the Local Governments in Lagos State ?

3.      Why was the Mayegun Scheme which was sold to Olowolafe and other friends and cronies against public interest without any independent valuation by relevant agency of government? Why is the size of the scheme shielded in secrecy? Why was N5.2 billion for which the land sold untraceable?  Where is the over N2 billion loan borrowed to sand-fill the place? What is the fate of the Tourism and Art-craft sellers chased away from the place?

4.       Pinnacle – why did the governor and his cronies engage in questionable transfer of 400 hectares of land to Pinnacle, South Africa, when it is known that the company is almost bankrupt and the ABSA Bank now owns over 60% of the Company. What nature of PPP is this? The world is watching! 

5.      Why was the illegal sand-filling of about 1 km in the Badagry – Marina awarded for N1.5 billion out of which N700 million has been paid and yet the contractors and the Tourism Ministry have completely destroyed all the historical relics and artefacts in the area? It has also created an environmental disaster for West Africa because of greed. And it appears the Commissioner has been settled.



          FASHOLA AND CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS

1.      Flagrant and deliberate disregard for the Appropriation law passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly, in violation of Section 120 of the 1999 Constitution.

2.      Criminal diversion of funds without due approval of the Lagos State House of Assembly, in further violation of Section 120 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

3.      Indiscriminate award of contracts without due process, without following the laid down financial regulation as well as the public procurement guidelines. The payment of such contracts is in violation of Part (E) Section 120(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

4.      Most Ministries, Departments, Parastatals sometimes do not know when contracts are awarded in their names and for what purpose, they only find out later. And they don’t know when payments to contractors are made by the State Treasury Office. This is in further violation of Section 121(2) of the 1999 Constitution.

5.      Illegal and unwarranted deductions from the statutory Allocation of the local governments. This is in direct contravention of Public Revenue Provision of the 1999 Constitution and in violation of Section 162 sub-section 6, 7 and 8.

6.      Opening of illegal and unconstitutional Dedicated Accounts which is contrary to the provision of the 1999 Constitution and which Revenue Monitoring Agency is unaware of. This act is in direct violation of Section 120(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

7.      Office of the Chief of Staff which is unknown to the Constitution has more staff than any other Ministry in Lagos State . This violation is very grave as it is in direct breach of the Governor’s Oath of Office in the 7th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution Section 13 and a gross violation of Sections 192, 193 and 208(2d) of the 1999 Constitution.

8.      Indiscriminate borrowing by the Ministry of Finance without legislative approval, which the Finance Commissioner calls Bridging Loans, is a grave assault on Fiscal Federalism, a coup against Financial Regulations and a shameful and criminal violation of Section 120(1), (2), (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution.

9.      Concentration of over 70% of Lagos State Government contracts in the hands of one Tunji Olowolafe. This is the clearest indication of the betrayal of trust by Governor Fashola, it is against the Oath of Office he swore to, it is a violation of Sections 14(4), 15(5) and 17(2a) of the 1999 Constitution on which social objective of a just, free and equitable social order is founded.

10.    Arbitrary use of Special Expenditure Vote for activities not originally provided for under the Appropriation Law. This is a further betrayal of Fiscal Federalism and a violation of provisions of Section 120(3) and (4), and Section 123(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution.

11.     Payment of 70% up-front to persons and cronies for contracts not yet executed. Similarly, this is a contravention of Section 120(4) of the 1999 Constitution.

12.    Giving arbitrary donations to selective professional associations and faceless organisations for acting as sycophants without appropriate authorisation by relevant constitutional bodies. This is a clear violation of sections 120(4) and 123 of the 1999 Constitution   

13.    The fraudulent purported acquisition of 2 Bell 412 EP Series Helicopters from a Canadian firm constitute a flagrant violation of Section 123(1) and (2) and Section 120(4) of the 1999 Constitution.

14.    Furthermore, the award of contract of courts and other Judicial Infrastructure as well as procurement for the Judiciary in Lagos State by the Attorney-General, Tunji Olowolafe and Governor Fashola is in gross violation of Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

In all these aberrations, the Lagos State House of Assembly has kept mute, and the House has become inept, achaic, drab, docile and inefficient. All the noise by Mr. Speaker about accountability and probity be only to enable house members line their pockets and feed fat on the sweat and toil of the people of the State?

Is it also true that they have been given their own share of the loot, they are maintaining undignified silence over the report of the ad hoc Committee set up to look into the books and activities of the Lagos State Government pursuant to Section 103 of the 1999 Constitution with powers expressly provided in sections 1a, b(i) and (ii), as well as Section 129 1 a b c and d.

We are aware that the report has been submitted since November 2009, so why is the Lagos State House of Assembly still sitting on the report? This is just a tip of the ice berg of financial recklessness by the Lagos executive led the seemingly performing governor Fashola! More soon.



What did you guy think?

I think you need a job before bad belle does you in.

tpia.:

I think you need a job before bad belle does you in.

shut up - I have always said u were illogical - can you not see the number of questions that require an answer - I pay taxes so i should be able to hold the governor accountable . I refuse to be bamboozled by projects here and there when the grand scheme of corruption is taking place.

blacksta:


shut up - I have always said u were illogical - can you not see the number of questions that require an answer - I pay taxes so i should be able to hold the governor accountable . I refuse to be bamboozled by projects here and there when the grand scheme of corruption is taking place.

unfortunately for you, sweetie, your bad belle colors everything you type on this site.

If they say go fix your village now, you'll claim you have no village.



yeah right.

tpia.:

unfortunately for you, sweetie, your bad belle colors everything you type on this site.

If they say go fix your village now, you'll claim you have no village.



yeah right.

So according to your comment it is alright to build projects and on the other side misappropriate tax payers funds

Think no one should fight,let the concerned answer all these questions. Oh ! Baba God bless your soul ,"which President e neva steal, which Governor e no dey steal , parambulators (apology to Fela) Mega City , Mega Corruption

See cry babies, good to know Fashola effectively blocked Egunje alleys, lmao

blacksta, it doesn't matter how many times you repeat it, you are not a lagosian, you're not a Tax paying lagosian. Maybe in your dreams but you're not.

Guess what  - They have showed up  - people who are brainwashed by BRT lanes ,    Here we have questions that require answers - it is not about bad belle more like holding Government accountable

babapupa:

See cry babies, good to know Fashola effectively blocked Egunje alleys, lmao

blacksta, it doesn't matter how many times you repeat it, you are not a lagosian, you're not a Tax paying lagosian. Maybe in your dreams but you're not.

Baba pupa - would u like to meet me in oworonshoki or name a place

blacksta:

So according to your comment it is alright to build projects and on the other side misappropriate tax payers funds

present your evidence  if you think you have a case.

Till you do so, its just typical Nigerian self destructiveness and bad belle on display.

what's the governor of your home state doing? Anything at all?

blacksta:

Baba pupa - would u like to meet me in oworonshoki or name a place

please move to another part of lagos (or Nigeria) with better roads if Oworonshoki area is disturbing you too much.

There's an agency called FERMA- The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency which is supposed to be in charge of the major Nigerian highways. What are they doing and why havent you queried them the way you constantly query Fashola.

I don't believe any man is perfect, even the revered Rev. Martin Luther King cheated on his wife.
That being said, all these cowards that come here to disparage BRF's achievements should atleast try to tell us where they're from. Any Tom, D¡ck and harry from Zamfara, Osun and Abia will come here to calumnise Fashola, while that is good cos criticism brings development, what about the shack of a state you come from yourself ? Don't you have state governors where you come from ?

BRF for President 2011

Fashola is not clean. lagosians will be surprised. when they see very few completed projects and lots of money spent on them; when his tenure rounds up.

the fact is, those who wait till then before they open their eyes, would think its a dream.

We all know these clowns are upset because Fashola refused to play egunje ball and he blocked the piggyback facilities their Godfather created for them.

We're definitely not going back to the Lagos of 3 yrs ago, Over our dead body, especially when we're seeing with our korokoro eyes what he's doing with tax payers money,






On a side note,

Beautification Projects: Elitist Categorisation Is Inacurate And Illogical - Fashola

Jan 27, 2010 - Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Wednesday evening described as inaccurate and illogical, views that the beautification and cleaning up efforts in the State by the present administration is elitist.

Governor Fashola who spoke during an interactive meeting with Governor’s Office Correspondents at Lagos House, Marina, added that the same beautification project is providing jobs for thousands of young boys and young girls whose parents are indigent.

In his words: “Some people have profited from the chaos and disorder that was Lagos. They will feel aggrieved that we are cleaning up the city. We don’t make any apologies for trying to clean up our state”.

“You will feel the impact of our efforts from every corner of the state whether it is in Ipaja, Victoria Island, Lawanson or Oworonshoki. Even in Ijora Badia. The people who live there, are they also elites?”, he added

Governor Fashola also stated: “More importantly for our projects, the same contractor handling a particular road project in Victoria Island is the same handling a similar road project in Alimosho. We believe that if it is good for the people in the Island, it should also be good for the people in Mainland. We have not discriminated. It is the same quality across the State”.

He asked: “The schools that we are building, is it the elites whose children attend the schools?. The BRT buses that ply the routes, is it elitist?, or the many medical missions, surgeries, jigibola which the state government organizes, are they for the elites. People should not stereotype and lock people’s thinking on their own assumptions. They should stop turning facts upside down”

The Lagos State Governor said there is a need to redefine the concept of elite and determine those who benefit from government projects.

On the issue of how many indigenes of the State have been evacuated from the scene of the crisis in Jos, Plateau State Governor Fashola said after he got an assurance of the safety of all residents of Jos from Governor Jonah Jang, the State has only offered relocation assistance to a few people who sought its assistance to return home.

While responding to a question on the adequate monitoring of ongoing State’s projects, the Governor explained that not only does every project have a project officer attached to it, there is also a monitoring team from the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget that certifies all contracts before payment, as part of many layers of monitoring.

On the Ayobo-Ipaja-Aiyetoro road which is in a deplorable state, Governor Fashola said the Government will fulfill its commitment on the road pointing out that the construction will be undertaken in two phases.

Governor Fashola added that the same scenario applies to areas like Agiliti whose design has just been completed and promised that as soon as the budget is passed, government’s presence would be felt there.

While reacting to a question on what the administration has in stock for residents of Medina Estate and Gbagada in general, the Governor said today, substantially, the State Government has succeeded in tackling the issue of flooding in Gbagada and this is still ongoing.

He said the responsibility of government is to start with the big drains which it has done with the big storm drainage in Gbagada, then the canals and later the streets, adding that if the streets are flowing and the canal is not, there will still be floods.

On how prepared the state is for the coming rainy season, Governor Fashola said the administration has demonstrated its capacity to mitigate flooding, as some parts like where people refer to as ‘River LUTH’ in Idi-Araba or Obele are now dry.

He revealed that the government is constructing channels from Yaba all through the six drainage systems of the state, trying to interconnect them, adding that about seven kilometres of canals is being built from Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, all the way to Ijora because many of the drainages have been blocked.

The Lagos State helmsman said instead of demolishing houses and churches, it is creating a new alignment which is expensive, but where all the water from Iddo, Sabo, Onike and all of that will ultimately interlink.

He urged members of the public to be wary of lands to be bought in the Lekki Free Trade Zone area, as the land for the LFTZ have been acquired, with compensation and acquisition claims already being attended to by the State Government.

While commenting on the activities of Fashola Fans club, the Governor said though every individual, organization have their fans, he is busy with his job and would only take the activities of the club as a token of the expression of what the people feel about what the present administration is doing, adding he remains focused.

On the proposed expansion of the Lagos-Badagry Express Way project, the Governor said the project which is scheduled for completion within 48 months is on course, adding that government is also looking at many ways of making it quicker if it gets funding as well as managing the traffic.

He also said Nigeria does not need the service of a foreign coach for the Nigerian national football team.

Said he: “Foreign coach to do what?. To take us the World Cup?. Is there any country that is going to the World Cup whose coach is available now. Or you want to hire that who could not qualify his own country to replace yours who qualified you, because the only ones who are available are the ones who did not qualify for the World Cup”.

“Let us know what we want. Do you want to play well and lose in the first round. We must respect coaches for who they are. There are some coaches whose style has no flair but they get the job done. If it is winning, Coach Shuaibu Amodu is winning”.

While admitting that the Nigerian National team can play better, he called for injection of more youthfulness into the team. He said Nigeria has not instituted a cadet system that enables talents to be discovered in a productive manner.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele had expressed appreciation to the Governor for creating time to have the interactive session with the media Correspondents who cover his activities.

He also gave kudos to the Correspondents for doing a good job, adding that several times, much emphasis is laid on what is considered as sensational stories attributed to the correspondents than the positive ones they wrote.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Lagos Governor’s Office Correspondents, Taiwo Olapade, congratulated Governor Fashola for giving hope to this generation that it is not a wasted generation, with his impactful style of administration.

The event was attended by all media Correspondents accredited to cover the Governor’s Office.

these are serious allegations.
no doubt, there is no way thatfashola would not be taking care of tinubu.
but if these allegations are true, then fashola must be held accountable.
sentiments apart, i lived in lagos for 3 years and paid tax. i did not enjoy having a sizeable chunk of my salary sliced off every month. but my consolation then was that the money was being used to makes things better in lagos.
if the reverse is the reverse is the case, the fashola has better reinburse me all of my money oh.

This is quite a long list of serious allegations. Even if some of them turn out to be baseless, as I expect (e.g. the commotion over the luxury yacht that fizzled no sooner than it bubbled up), the allegations need to be investigated by a non-partisan investigator who is not an employee of the state. The Lagos press, too, must pursue vigorously every of these allegations to unearth any veracity to them, if there are.

One troubling part is the frequent mention of a Mr. Olowolafe and his success in repeatedly scoring contract awards from the state government. Is he really that good? And why should questions not be raised about his coziness with government officials? If Lagosians are not seeing the two recently-purchased helicopters in the sky do what they were purchased to do, shouldn't the government be compelled to tell the people why? There is a long list concerns about state expenditures and wasteful spending that need to be brought out in the open.

I would expect the Fashola “Amen Choir” to come out and challenge these allegations as witch hunt by Fashola’s detractors. But no one can dispute the fact that transparency is missing from governance in Lagos. Even the little community where I live in the US could not buy an ordinary fire engine without fielding questions from taxpayers about the procurement process. Fashola cannot talk up the game of democracy without following its script. 

The Fashola government does waste funds and will continue to waste funds until erudite taxpayers are given the opportunity to peer through government processes and challenge ineffectual projects. This is not to say that people should expect perfection from government; that will be unreasonable. What matters though is the magnitude of those “imperfections” and the frequency with which they occur.

There is a lot of money in the coffers of Lagos state – well, relative to the Nigerian standard of wealth – and no doubt, many of these contractors see the state as a springboard to business success and wealth. Reliance on government for business should never be a sin. The issue here is the quality and value of goods taxpayers are getting in return.

Btzzk:


9.  BRF’s wife travels abroad once bi-monthly and takes N30 million per trip from the State coffers, apart from her monthly running cost.

Please show us your proof that Fashola's wife:

1. travels abroad twice a month and

2. She takes 30 million naira of Lagos' money
with her each time she travels.

This is what we are talking about

We can either choose to believe everything we read in the media or Judge this man based on whether what he got right outweights what he got wrong. Ours is a Nation where you can pay a Journalist any chicken change and they will produce destructive reports about people's hard earned reputation.

For those who say Fashola is innocent and this is a paid editorial, I hope you also apply such standards to others who have given their best in one way or the other to make Nigeria a better place.

Only if these guys can prove all these.I find the accusation of BRF wife travelling abroad monthly with so much money and the soap opera ridiculous.This is the guy that is touted as the best governor in Nigeria.My lips are sealed until they can be proved.Even if one is proved,I wonder what is going to become of BRF and his credibility.In Nigeria nothing is impossible.Let them investigate,they could be true.

Pifa:

   
This is quite a long list of serious allegations. Even if some of them turn out to be baseless, as I expect (e.g. the commotion over the luxury yacht that fizzled no sooner than it bubbled up), the allegations need to be investigated by a non-partisan investigator who is not an employee of the state. The Lagos press, too, must pursue vigorously every of these allegations to unearth any veracity to them, if there are.

One troubling part is the frequent mention of a Mr. Olowolafe and his success in repeatedly scoring contract awards from the state government. Is he really that good? And why should questions not be raised about his coziness with government officials? If Lagosians are not seeing the two recently-purchased helicopters in the sky do what they were purchased to do, shouldn't the government be compelled to tell the people why? There is a long list concerns about state expenditures and wasteful spending that need to be brought out in the open.

I would expect the Fashola “Amen Choir” to come out and challenge these allegations as witch hunt by Fashola’s distractors. But no one can dispute the fact that transparency is missing from governance in Lagos. Even the little community where I live in the US could not buy an ordinary fire engine without fielding questions from taxpayers about the procurement process. Fashola cannot talk up the game of democracy without following its script. 

The Fashola government does waste funds and will continue to waste funds until erudite taxpayers are given the opportunity to peer through government processes and challenge ineffectual projects. This is not to say that people should expect perfection from government; that will be unreasonable. What matters though is the magnitude of those “imperfections” and the frequency with which they occur.

There is a lot of money in the coffers of Lagos state – well, relative to the Nigerian standard of wealth – and no doubt, many of these contractors see the state as a springboard to business success and wealth. Reliance on government for business should never be a sin. The issue here is the quality and value of goods taxpayers are getting in return.
   

My own two -cents -

To publish the allegations  - one must have insight to the working of BRF government and the above is not something any journalist or group could have drawn up.  Fashola might be good man or have good intentions about Lagos state but the fact still remains he is surrounded by Hawks  - You know saying " show me your friends and i can tell who you really are"

I dont have bad belle or hate good things  but have an open and critical mind about issues. 

Nigerians have been subjected  to a lifestyle of mediocracy over the last 5 decades and nobody is objective anymore

blacksta:

My own two -cents -

To publish the allegations - one must have insight to the working of BRF government and the above is not something any journalist or group could have drawn up. Fashola might be good man or have good intentions about Lagos state but the fact still remains he is surrounded by Hawks - You know saying " show me your friends and i can tell who you really are"

I dont have bad belle or hate good things but have an open and critical mind about issues.

Nigerians have been subjected to a lifestyle of mediocracy over the last 5 decades and nobody is objective anymore

Well I don't know how true or false these allegations are, but governments are always wasteful. Just look at the U.S. govt. tax payer money always ended up getting wasted in one way or the other. This is not to condone any waste if it occurring. If there is waste, the govt. should be questioned so that they at least know that people are keeping an eye on what they are doing. I hope Fashola will find a way to reduce on any waste and inefficiencies in his government. I'm quite sure that there are pepople in BRF administration who are bad apples and are there for their selfish interest. Once those kind of people are removed, it's quite likely that some of these issues will reduce.

In any case I still support Fashola. His government is still years ahead of the rest of the country. They are doing better than those governments that loot 100% of their treasury.

Whenever an elected official is doing whats expected of him majority of nigerians end up calling such a person an angel! This is due to the fact that in the past we've had it so bad that our leaders does nothing to improve our lives than to steal. However it is a known fact that nigerian politicians are grandmasters in the art of stealing state resources right from the local govt to the presidency which does not exclude lagos state, so whosoever claims that the present govt in lagos is not corrupt is either stupid, myopic or must be a member of AC. I quite agree that fashola is working but there is nothing extraordinary in what hes doing and more should be demanded of him cos its service to the people. Lets not be deceived there is mega corruption in this our mega city and at the top of this stands 'ojugo' the 'godfather' or is it the lion in bourdillon? If all these accusations by blaksta are real then BRF should be charge for complicity in defrauding lagosians but am not suprised abi him no be politician?

Let me clarify one thing here. The purpose of the investigation should not be to nail Fashola and his administration. The purpose should be to open up the procurement process and make it transparent to the public. Even the most ardent detractor of the governor will attest to the work he is doing in Lagos. But this is not the first time we've heard about misappropriation of funds and cozy dealings with political creditors. And given the aggressiveness with which the Fashola administration pursues tax collection in the state, shouldn't the taxpayers know how their money is being spent?

We've learnt from news reports that the governor is pushing the FOI bill, which will be one of the best gifts he will deliver to Lagos, if he can push it through the legislature and endow it with some legal teeth. But it shouldn't absolve him or any member of his administration from accountability.

There will be waste in government. That's an unavoidable fact of life, be it in Lagos, London or anywhere in the world. There will also be sweetheart deals. That, too, is unavoidable. If a contractor got a sweetheart deal at a reasonable sum and delivered a superb-quality road with good drainage and lasting street markings, is anyone going to complain? But talking to those on the ground in Lagos, you'll quickly learn that come rainfall, many of the new roads degenerate into vehicle-damaging, pothole-filled passageways that soon gobble up more funds in premature repairs. That's the issue! It is about the value taxpayers are getting for their money.

6. Also between January and June 2009, BRF’s Chief of Staff and PAs expended N290 million in sending TEXT Messages and phone CALLS on their lines.

wao. wao. wao.

if this is true, no wonder MTN is smilling to Bank.

^^ so you are believing that @otawa 

that's about 2 million dollars. can't be true.

it's obvious someone is out to get the man because he was not given a contract (or otherwise favoured).

Those outrageous figures gave it away easily for me.

Jaylon:

^^ so you are believing that @otawa

that's about 2 million dollars. can't be true.

it's obvious someone is out to get the man because he was not given a contract (or otherwise favoured).

Those outrageous figures gave it away easily for me.

What is not true? sending the text or the cost. the cost might be 20k when they add some zeros at the back it become 2milla. that is how the money use to walk.

There is element of truth in any rumour.

All I know is that Fashola dey chop like other Nigerian thieves in power even though he spends a percentage of his loot on the state he is rul_ining.  Marwa stole and bought himself an airline, Bola Tinubu converted Lagos state to his private property and I am sure he is fighting with his boy Fashola because the  guy no gree make them loot the state clean. I am sure Fashola suggested they loot only 30% while he is insisting on looting 95%.
Tinubu is an active career criminal and he begat Fashola. The question remains for anyone here to answer: How can a Tiger give birth to a butterfly?

Fashola is smart because he knows that the day of reckoning is very near in Nigeria. The fear of the new  EFCC which will soon arise will  be  the beginning of wisdom.

babapupa:

See cry babies, good to know Fashola effectively blocked Egunje alleys, lmao

blacksta, it doesn't matter how many times you repeat it, you are not a lagosian, you're not a Tax paying lagosian. Maybe in your dreams but you're not.

Oh the writers  are not tribalits like aloyemeka and kobojunkie who you always accuse of tribal bad belle anytime they raise their voice against looting even though you know nothing about their tribes?

This is d problem of dis country, the guys who hav all dis info shld 4ward it to the EFCC nd let them do their job. All BRF fans can c how easy it is to throw mud at public officer, in Nigeria the belif is dat once u hold a position of authority u are a thief I think dis is very unfair to our leaders.
Fashola is definitely doin a good job but then he stil has to be accountable so if issues hav bin raised the gov can release evidence showin d accusations as baseles.
With dis we can appreciate y our president takes his time in doin anythin ensurin dat all due process is followed all those defendin Fashola on dis thread wld hav bin d 1st to call Yaradua all kinds of name for allegations lik dis let us all ask d same questions nd giv our leaders the benefit of doubt and we shld be objective

Na wah o! and this is only part one.