Our Reporter
A wave of concern is sweeping through Ondo State’s development and media circles following reports that the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowunmi Isaac, has failed to sign off on critical contractor files and payment of adverts placement in the media tied to key International Development Agency Projects.
The delay, which has lingered since 2024, is threatening to stall several ongoing infrastructure and public awareness initiatives across the state.
Sources close to the Ministry of Finance told the medium that files relating to contractor payments, including those for media adverts and publicity campaigns placed by international donor-backed programmes, have been left unattended in the commissioner’s office waiting for her approval.
The situation, insiders said, has created a bottleneck that could affect the state’s credibility with donor partners and disrupt scheduled project timelines.
“These are not routine contracts; they involve projects co-funded by international agencies that have strict timelines and accountability standards,” a senior government official familiar with the matter said. “The commissioner’s failure to act on the payment files has begun to draw concern from both local contractors and international partners.”
Many of the pending payments reportedly involve road maintenance, community projects, and health-related outreach campaigns funded under various bilateral and multilateral support schemes. Contractors handling these projects say the delays have already begun to affect on-site operations, threatening to derail completion schedules and inflate costs.
One contractor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We have completed our phase of work and submitted all documentation months ago. Everything now depends on the commissioner’s signature, but the files have been left untouched. Our workers are waiting to be paid, and we are unable to continue work on other assigned sites.”
Similarly, media houses that carried campaign materials and public awareness messages for development programmes such as rural development and agricultural empowerment initiatives have not been paid, despite budgetary approval from the respective agencies.
Analysts warn that the situation could damage Ondo State’s reputation with donor agencies and international partners, potentially jeopardising future funding opportunities. “International agencies operate on trust and accountability,” said a development finance expert, Dr. Festus James. “When payment delays occur due to bureaucratic negligence, it signals weak governance and discourages investors and development partners from committing further resources.”
Efforts to get official clarification from the Ministry of Finance were unsuccessful as Mrs. Isaac did not respond to calls or messages seeking her comment. Senior aides within the ministry also declined to speak on record, citing “administrative sensitivity.”
However, civil society groups in Akure have called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to intervene, warning that continued delays in the disbursement of approved funds could reverse the modest developmental gains made under his administration.
There is also disquiet and uneasiness among stakeholders across communities hosting many of the project sites as youths are protesting what they deliberate frustration tactics of the development partner sponsored project in the state.
“The governor must act swiftly,” said the Executive Director of the Ondo State Good Governance Initiative, Mrs. Sunday Akinlalu. “It is unacceptable for projects funded by international partners designed to improve the lives of our people to suffer because of one official’s inaction. Every day of delay is a setback for the people of Ondo.”
Observers note that Ondo State has recently positioned itself as a hub for investment and donor collaboration in the South-West, with several international development projects focusing on infrastructure renewal, education, and healthcare delivery.
Any administrative lapse in handling donor-linked financial obligations, they warn, could undo years of effort to attract global partnerships.
As the impasse persists, contractors, media stakeholders, and donor agencies await government action.
The delay in processing payments, they insist, is not merely a bureaucratic issue but a critical test of Ondo State’s fiscal discipline, institutional reliability, and commitment to sustaining development partnerships.
