Benue State government has said aside from the 25 bank accounts shown them by the Samuel Ortom-led administration, it has discovered another 600 accounts through information from the Inter-Bank System.
The state commissioner for finance, budget and planning, Michael Oglegba disclosed this when he hosted members of the state correspondents chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He said the Governor Hyacinth Alia-led administration inherited an empty treasury with a high debt profile of N350 billion.
He said some of the monies were attached to non-existing projects.
Ogleba said that was the reason governor Alia immediately froze all government accounts after taking over because he needed to understand what was on the ground.
“The debts owed by the state is to the tune of N200 billion which includes local and foreign debts, while the local government also have their debts which also include pension, local contractors, unpaid salaries, and gratuities with a total of N150 billion bringing the total to N350 billion,” the commissioner said.
Ortom denied the accusation of leaving a debt of N350 billion, describing the allegation as false and mischief.
The former governor, who spoke through his media aide, Terver Akase, insisted that at the time his boss exited, the debt profile was N187.56 billion and not N350 billion.
The finance commissioner said throughout the eight years of Ortom’s administration, the state was always number 36 on the list of states that executed capital projects in the country, which means Benue had zero capital projects during his time.
“We have no reason whatsoever to lie about the debt profile we inherited because the records are there, and the huge debt implies that investors should be scared of the State and banks will not give the State loan.
“We are urging you the media to hold us accountable, the time of shouting about herdsmen is over now is business, Benue is open to both local and foreign investors that will bring meaningful development to the State, we want the world to hear Benue as a State of business not herdsmen or killings,” he said.
The commissioner said from the handing over notes of the past administration, there were 19,000 pupils and 16,000 teachers which means one teacher per pupil, but physically never existed.
“So, we are saving monies from all this which has reduced the wage bill, saying the process is still ongoing, we will reach there soon,” he said.
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