The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was reported to have doled out 5,000 dollars each to players of the Super Eagles for the Round of 16 football match victory over the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the ongoing All African Cup of Nations taking place in Egupt on Saturday.
That translates to some $115,000 assuming he gave it to just 23 players of the team excluding the technical crew and support staff.
At the current official exchange rate of 305 naira to one dollar, that amounts to some N35,075,000. That’s some N35m public funds thrown away just like that without legislative appropriation and approval.
With that sum, the potholes on the Okota Road or those on the Agege Motor Road by Mushin could be filled with asphalt. If billions are needed to fix the Lagos-Badagry road in complete degradation, a couple of millions only, the type Sanwo-Olu threw at the Eagles for winning a game they will already be paid winning bonus, are needed to fix the bad portions on some inner city roads.
The roads in Ajao Estate or Ejigbo will smile if such money is spent on them by the Alausa occupier. Shouldn’t our charity begin on Eko roads?
Written by Joel Nwokeoma