Ogun Debt Profile :Abiodun Accuses Amosun Of Not Accounting For N50Bn - EDU-BIZNEWS

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Monday, April 5, 2021

Ogun Debt Profile :Abiodun Accuses Amosun Of Not Accounting For N50Bn



The Ogun State Government has cleared the air on domestic debt  owed by the State, including the one inherited from the immediate past,Senator Ibikunle Amosun's administration 

Governor Dapo Abiodun who revealed this in Abeokuta on Monday, was reactiing to the recent debt profile of the state released from the Debt Management Office (DMO) in Abuja which ranks Ogun as the third most indebted state behind Lagos and Ondo States in the south West zone of Nigeria 

Abiodun explained that the figures given to it by the immediate past administration, did not capture the entire liabilities it left behind. 

The Governor clarified that not less than N50billion in financial liabilities were not accounted for in the financial report handed over to Governor Dapo Abiodun in May 2019.

Abiodun in a statement in by his Chief Press Secretary,Mr Kunle Somorin which was made available to Edu-Biznews, said the omitted amount was financial liabilities incurred by the immediate past administration due to unpaid pensions, gratuities and outstanding staff salaries “which surprisingly were not captured in the books left behind for the new government.”

His words,“We only got to know about this amount in the course of our carrying out due diligence on Ogun State finances shortly after we took over. And as a transparent government, committed to being accountable, we had to disclose this for the first time, to give a true picture of the State’s indebtedness,”

Already the governor has started paying the retirees and pensioners affected, with the first tranche of N500million paid to them last month, promising to continue to do so by releasing N500mi in every quarter the governor has promised to pay them at least N500million until everyone is paid.”

While noting the recent report by the Debt Management Office (DMO, on the state’s domestic debt, the statement said the omitted figures by the immediate past administration in the state had an impact on the DMO report.

According to Abiodun,“The increase in the 2020 total debt of the state was due to an undisclosed gratuity and staff liabilities of about N50bn not recognized in the State financial statements in May 2019 at the end of the previous administration". 

In order to show the complete picture of all State liabilities, the current administration booked the gratuities and staff liabilities in the financial statements of the State hence the increase,” the statement explained. 

The statement then restated the commitment of the Governor Abiodun administration to transparency and accountability in all matters, including financial, while remaining steadfast in the completion of all projects inherited as well as those initiated by the present government. 

The statement added that “Residents and citizens of the State can attest to how Gov Abiodun is completing all the abandoned projects of his predecessor and commencing signature projects and roads" 

"The governor has concentrated on his Building Our Future Together with special attention to Infrastructures, Health, Education and Agriculture. 

"Also, the welfare and security of the people which are the primary functions of Government are equally on the front-burner", the statement concluded

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