A resident of Kosofe Local Government, Engr. Adedayo Emmanuel, has raised serious concerns over the transparency and accountability of the ongoing N100 million Empowerment Initiative launched by the Executive Chairman, Hon. Moyosore Ogunlewe.
In a statement issued on Monday following the commencement of the programme’s second phase, Adedayo demanded the immediate release of the full list of 250 beneficiaries from the first phase, as well as the 250 beneficiaries reportedly selected for the second phase.
Questioning the process, he said, “Where are the lists of the 250 beneficiaries that received the money last week and today? In a saner clime, the list ought to be published before empowering them to allow for transparency and accountability. After all this exercise, I’m going to request a comprehensive list of all the proposed 1000 beneficiaries with credit alert evidence. If possible, ICPC and EFCC will be petitioned. This is taxpayers’ money and not for an individual.”
Adebayo further alleged that the funds being disbursed were neither budgeted for nor approved by the Legislative Arm of the council, describing this as the “first mistake” in the execution of the empowerment scheme.
As of the time of filing this report, both the Kosofe Head of Public Affairs and the Chief Press Secretary to the Council Chairman had yet to release any comprehensive list of beneficiaries.
The N100 million empowerment programme, which aims to support 1,000 residents across multiple phases, has been widely publicised by the council. However, rising public scrutiny and demands for disclosure highlight growing concerns over openness and due process in the management of the initiative.