For Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the criticism heaped on his government by the country’s ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over the expenditure of state funds is like trying to make a mounting out of a molehill.
Even so, Oshiomhole might have set the stage for another round of criticism. Last week’s proposal of N148.87 billion for its services in the 2012 fiscal year was all he needed to do to keep the PDP in the state busy. The budget proposal tagged “Budget of Continuity” is N14.98 billion higher than the N133.89 billion of 2011. 
The governor had explained that the budget has the primary objectives of accelerating the completion of ongoing infrastructural projects and extension of same to additional communities and critical areas of deficit, equipments and maintenance of completed and existing infrastructure as well as employment and wealth creation. He also said the budget is aimed at improving the delivery capacity of public institutions and personnel, as an overall strategy to enhance the quality of governance. To the Oshiomhole government, adding value to people’s lives is of utmost importance. “Government must work optimally to deliver development to the greatest number of our people, at the most reasonable cost and in the shortest possible time.”  He added that “I want to assure the good people of Edo State that this budget is essentially designed to ensure that we complete the projects that we have started and where possible, we initiate new ones. With
this instrument in place, I have no doubt in my mind that a number of
projects would be completed,” he noted. In addition, the governor said
his administration was exploring the opportunities of the bond market
in order to access long term finance, which is the best way to fund
infrastructure on a sustainable basis.
But the PDP thinks otherwise. The party remembers vividly the N112.7 billion 2011 budget and may see the 2012 proposal as another feasting opportunity for the Oshiomhole government. 
Chief Dan Orbih, state chairman of the PDP believes the ACN government in Edo State is taking the people for a ride. He said the governor’s pronouncements are not being marched with action. The party chairman revealed that Edo State’s total earning from the Federation Account from November 2008 to September 2011 was about N235 trillion, including the N25 billion from the capital market. He gave the break down as follows: from November 2008 to December 2009- N61.2 billion; January to December 2010- N85.8 billion and January to September 2011- N78.9 billion.
Out of this total earning of N235 billion, Orbih said that there  was
confusion as to how much the government has spent so far on infrastructure development because while the governor claimed to have committed N80 billion to infrastructure development his commissioner for information is claiming that it is N120 billion that has been committed to infrastructure development in Edo State.  On roads, he said whereas Oshiomhole claimed that his administration has awarded road contracts to cover a total of 550 kilometres across the state, broken down to 19 intercity roads which he further claimed have been completed and another 31 ongoing road projects, the question is what is the cost of these projects?
On the Airport Road, Orbih said “The scandalous less than 8 kilometre Airport Road, for instance, initially awarded to SERVETEK Nigeria Limited for about N4.8 billion (i.e. about 600 million per kilometre) which was later
revoked was re-awarded to SETRACO Limited for about N6 billion (i.e.
N750 million per kilometer). Orbih compared the project to a federal road of similar specification like the east/west road of Warri to Port Harcourt dual carriage way (constructed in a swampy area) complete with drainage, street lights and road dividers which was awarded by the federal ministry of works at a cost of N125 million per kilometre.” 
The opposition party is not done yet. They are also making reference to the Central Hospital, Benin City, which the Edo State government claimed to have committed about N700 million in last year’s budget and which it has started to rebuild, but Orbih said that it is obvious that the Adams Oshiomhole’s government is not interested in developing the health sector in Edo State even if the federal government provided half of the funds, as there was little or nothing to show it took the development of the health sector seriously. 
 He said the “Edo State government should tell Edo people how much it has committed to capital budgets for the development of the health sector since it came into power.”
The PDP chairman also called on the governor to secure the lives and property in Edo State which he said has been highly deplorable in the last 18 to 24 months. He expressed regret that the government has shown commitment to  the security of the lives the state as the state now has the highest number of kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and other violent crimes in Nigeria.”
Orbih’s criticism stemmed from the poor implementation of the 2011 budget but the governor is not perturbed.  The governor believes he has been consistent with the budget since he became governor in 2009 when he proposed N75.54 billion to the House of Assembly with road repairs, drainage rehabilitation, flooding and erosion control and education taking the lion share. He had said there would be a sharp departure from the past where budgetary allocations were mere statements, adding that government had thoroughly analysed the desirability and “feasibility of all the capital projects, while the recurrent headings have been painstakingly scrutinised and streamlined."
The governor said that his government allocated N45.38 billion to capital projects while N30.17 billion was proposed for recurrent expenditure. He, however, said that the budget contained a deficit of N20.5 billion, which he said would be funded through borrowing.
According to him, his administration would expand the airport road and Ugbowo road and install street lights, drainage, sidewalks and other features. While the state capital would get the most attention this year, Oshiomhole said other parts of the state would get attention in subsequent years.
To be able to achieve these targets, the governor said his administration would reintroduce the public works department to be known as the public works agency, whose employees would execute repairs of failed surfaces on roads to make them motorable all year round. The agency would also be responsible for sanitation, traffic management, beautification, enforcement of environmental laws and urban renewal in general.