The Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) has criticized Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo’s ongoing trip to the United Kingdom as an unproductive jamboree, demanding that the state government transparently disclose the delegation’s identities, total cost, funding sources, and expected deliverables to justify the expenditure to the people of Edo.
In a joint statement weekend in Benin City by the national chairman, Dr. Samson Isibor and the national secretary, Hon. Nkama Waribe, the organization alleged that the delegation is largely composed of people who have no tangible contributions to the trip.
Isibor and Waribe challenged the state government to publicly disclose the total cost of the trip, the identities and official capacities of all members of the delegation, the source of funding, the specific investment opportunities being pursued and the expected timelines for delivering any agreements or commitments arising from the visit.
The chairman and the scribe said that the UK visit raises serious questions about the administration’s spending priorities, noting that Edo people deserved to know the objectives of the mission, the anticipated outcomes and the measurable benefits expected to accrue to the state from the investment event the governor attended yesterday.
The statement added: “Foreign investment missions should not become ceremonial exercises financed with public funds but should be driven by clearly defined economic goals, transparent deliverables and verifiable outcomes capable of improving the lives of the people.
“The composition of the delegation reflected poor planning. Individuals with no apparent relevance to the investment mission were included, while some commissioners overseeing ministries central to the state’s economic and investment agenda were initially left behind.”
CRPP recalled what it described as Governor Okpebholo’s investment mission to Glasgow, Scotland last year, alleging that the trip ended in controversy after a widely publicized $250 million investment proposal failed to translate into tangible results for the state.
The duo noted that the experience underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability in government-sponsored foreign engagements.
Isibor and Waribe stated that Edo people deserve governance anchored on fiscal responsibility, transparency and measurable development outcomes rather than public expenditure that, in their views, lacked immediate value to the citizens.
They urged the governor to demonstrate that the visit will produce concrete investments, jobs and economic opportunities capable of justifying the expenditure of public funds.
They maintained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent admonition to state governors on prudent management of public funds should serve as a timely reminder to governments enjoying increased federal allocations and improved internally generated revenue to prioritize the welfare of the people.
