Governor of Oyo State, ‘Seyi Makinde, has reiterated that the newly established Project Monitoring Agency is to enhance accountability and transparency in the performance of projects within the state.
The Governor made the disclosure on Tuesday during an interactive engagement to promote relationships between the Monitoring Agency and other Agencies, including MDAs, parastatals, and ministries.
Represented by his Deputy, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal, the Governor noted that the Agency will monitor the performance of projects within Oyo state and address any possible lacuna in project implementation.
According to Barr. Lawal, Makinde administration inherited lot of abandoned projects at inception of the administration while some contractors even ran away with Oyo state projects money.
He stressed that the administration had to review and re-award some of the contracts as government is continuum.
While emphasizing that the current administration is ensuring transparency and openness for people to be able to examine whatever projects is being done by the government, the Deputy Governor noted that part of the function of the agency is also to ensure operational guidelines for contractors.
He said: “The current administration believes in accountability and transparency. It’s the whole essence of the establishment of the Monitoring Agency to monitor the performance of projects.
“The new agency will provide operational guidelines for contractors and ensure that Oyo State gets value for public funds spent on projects.”
The Deputy Governor equally stressed on the need of good relationship between the office of the Agency and office of Due Process to assist in formulating operational guidelines in such a sway that there would be distinct role.
He said: “When the agency law is being framed, the government was able to ensure that the relationship between the office of the Agency and office of the Due Process were able to complement each others functions and responsibilities.
“So, all of us here are operators of government policies. So, the Agency chairman must organize another meeting between government and contractors for more sensitization.
“I’ll encourage you to really look into all of these and put them together so that contractors wouldn’t be subjected to more hardship.
“To our operators, you need to put your heads together. We have subjected ourselves to scrutiny of the agency. Govebrment is throwing open its activities transparently in a way that we open our books to be examined and criticized.
“This awareness is to make sure that we know the functions and powers of the agency. You must acquaint your self with the functions and powers of the agency as well as the office of the Due Process so that when we begin to operate this agency law, there won’t be any conflict.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Agency Chairman, Engr. Muftau Open Salawu, who appreciated everyone for their presence at the stack holder sensitization meeting, noted that the presence of Oyo Deputy Governor has, indeed, demonstrated the commitment for good governance by the administration of his Excellency Engr. Seyi Makinde fnse.
He said: “In Every task there are challenges ahead, what am asking each one of you, including myself, is to meet the challenges straight on with your head high.
The Agency will not be particular about any project but shall be interested in quality of every project.
“Thank you very much for participating in this sensitization meeting for Oyo state project performance Monitoring Agency.”
