Worst government ever: Oti, a former adviser to Imoke

The worst thing that have ever occurred in Cross River State has been described as the regime of Prof. Ben Ayade.

Dr. Peter Oti, a former special adviser to Liyel Imoke, the state’s most recent governor, made this claim.

He gave a speech in Calabar at a three-day course on budget monitoring and examining public spending that Daily Trust Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation for Journalists in South-South Nigeria jointly sponsored.

He said that the Ayade administration had neglected to adhere to the fundamental guidelines for creating, documenting, and implementing budgets.

Additionally, he asserted that Liyel Imoke’s administration created what is considered to be the greatest practise in the world, but Ayade’s government did not care to follow it.

“The administration of Senator Liyel Imoke introduced and upheld international best standards in budget planning, recording, and execution.

“Even though we didn’t expect them to implement everything we offered and handed over, the fundamental and industry-recognized budgeting criteria are totally disregarded worldwide.

“For instance, do they consult with the public through Budget Consultative Forums where budgets are constructed using input from regular people, traditional groups, civil society, the media, etc.?

Every year, the governor is seen giving budgets flashy, ridiculous, and made-up titles that have no connection to the general public and no bearing on the economy. To be perceived as the people’s budgets, budgets must include the people.

“This is the state’s citizens’ worst experience with a government to date. And I ask God to prevent another Ayade-style regime from taking power.

He urged the current administration to provide records that would fully recount the seven yearly budgets the governor had thus far presented to the populace.

We even went so far as to translate our budgets into the state’s three primary languages, Efik, Ejagham, and Bekwara, during our time.

Oti, who is currently a Don at the University of Calabar, tasked journalists and civil society organisations (CSO) with keeping an eye on the MDA budgets of the federal and state governments from the planning stages to performance monitoring and evaluation.

Miniechat

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