Governor Sullivan Chime
Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State on Sunday expressed shock and disbelief at the news of the N11 billion loan request by Enugu State Government, less than seven months to the expiration of Governor Sullivan Chime’s administration.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State on Sunday expressed shock and disbelief at the news of the N11 billion loan request by Enugu State Government, less than seven months to the expiration of Governor Sullivan Chime’s administration.
The opposition party in a statement by its Publicity Secretary in the state, Mrs. Kate Ofor, noted that it was more worried considering the secrecy that characterised the approval of the N11 billion loan recently by the state House of Assembly.
Speaker of the assembly, Eugene Odo, confirmed to journalists that the House on November 13, reconvened from recess and approved an N11 billion loan for the state government.
On further inquiry, the House said the loan was to enable the outgoing administration to complete ongoing projects and also offset previous loan facility obtained from a new generation bank, which interest rate was allegedly pilling up.
The House said: “This honorable House do resolve to authorise the state government to obtain loans of one billion naira and ten billion naira respectively from UBA Plc to re-finance facility from GTBank Plc and fund infrastructural projects in the state.”
The APC however expressed concern that if the loans were for public good, there would have been no need for the secrecy of the House sitting and hurried approval.
The opposition party also wondered what the ongoing projects are, considering that the previous loans were obtained for such and why the people of the state were being denied the details of the loan when the core ingredient of democracy is openness and transparency.
Ofor further said it is the candid view of the APC that the loan is meant to rig the 2015 general election and as retirement benefit from Governor Sullivan Chime for an alleged budget of N500m earmarked for disbursement to each local governments few weeks before the elections.
Ofor further said it is the candid view of the APC that the loan is meant to rig the 2015 general election and as retirement benefit from Governor Sullivan Chime for an alleged budget of N500m earmarked for disbursement to each local governments few weeks before the elections.
“All facts available indicates that the loan is a blatant fraud and gross man’s inhumanity to man; we therefore call on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to stop the government from accessing the loan facility.
“The loan is unacceptable and sheer wickedness by a government that has scant regard for civil servants and general welfare of the indigenes.
“The loan is unacceptable and sheer wickedness by a government that has scant regard for civil servants and general welfare of the indigenes.
“Accordingly, we challenge Governor Chime to open the account books of the Enugu State and absolve himself of the unbridled corruption under his watch. For we know that the work he has done is not commensurate to the huge Federal Allocations, which accrued to our state and local government councils in the past seven years.
“On this score, we challenge the issuing banks to halt the fraudulent loan transaction; for an APC government come 29th May, 2015, will not honour fraudulent loans, for it will become unnecessary burden for government to shoulder.”
Source-Thisdaylive
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