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Steve Unegbu, Umuahia
The government of Abia state led by Dr. Alex Otti has described as a false claim that the Okezie Ikpeazu-led past administration left any N24 billion in the account of the Abia state government.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Finance, Mr. Mike Akpara disclosed this to newsmen Thursday at the Government House, Umuahia in reaction to the purported billions of Naira allegedly left behind for the Dr. Otti-led government by the former government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.
He explained, that the $200 million and $50 million the past administration claimed left for the new administration are loans they were pursuing which are yet to crystalize.
Mr Akpara revealed that outside the enormous financial liabilities left behind by the Ikpeazu-led government, the administration also left physical drawbacks in all key institutions of the Abia State government including, the University Teaching Hospital, Abia Polytechnic among others.
He further disclosed that the summary of Abia State Government balances with different banks as of 28th May 2023 included; loan balances to UBA (8,012,830,371.44), Zenith Bank (21,557,168,761.71), Union Bank (597,637,399.55) and Central Bank of Nigeria (47,760,302,510.12), making a total balance of (77,927,939,042.82) for loan balance while domestic debts were as follows; salaries and subventions arrears (18,162,102,692.92), pension arrears (21,283,876,789.80), gratuity arrears (27,012,996,061.64) and contractors arrears (4,563,186,896.65) leaving a total domestic debts arrears at 71,022,162,441.01.
He informed that the external debt of the State is 42,289,206,109.84, making the grand total of debt left for the present administration N191,239,307,593.67).
Akpara however queried that if Ikpeazu had the billions he claimed to have left behind for the Governor Otti-led government in April and May, why did he not pay workers and pensioners before leaving office?
He added that if Ikpeazu is trying to pre-empt anti-corruption agencies by making such provocative false claims, he should know that the anti-corruption agencies work with facts and figures, and even if the former governor joins the APC to seek refuge as he plans to do, these anti-corruption agencies would pursue and bring him to justice from there.
He reassured the Abia people of Governor Otti’s commitment to clearing all salaries, pensions, and gratuities arrears before 31st December 2023.
His words, “The Alex Otti –led government woke up to the shocking news of the several billions of naira allegedly left behind for the Alex Otti led-government by the former government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.
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