KEY POINTS
- Edo Transition Committee wants audit of over 410 billion in state debt.
- Issue on how governance manages public resources such as hospitals and power plants.
- Committee proposes an audit of contracts, state ICT, and teaching staff.
The Transition Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has urged the state to investigate what it claimed as over N410 billion outstanding debt.
During the handover session the previous evening, the committee chairman, Pius Odubu, painted a dark picture of the governor’s expensiture misappropriation, sham ownership of assets and contract malfeasance to the governor to be inaugurated, Monday Okpebholo, a Senator.
Debt management liquidity profile and asset management issues
The committee also claims that Edo owed about N55 billion as at 2016, but it is now over N410 billion, that it may cross N500 billion.
They asked for a scrutiny of the MoUs signed for Central and Stella Obasanjo hospitals, clarification made regarding the states’ equity in Ossiomo power plant and Raddisson Blu Hotel and an audit check on the World Bank-funded EdoBest project as the commission expressed lack understanding about the functioning of the project.
Suspicion contracts and ICT replacement
The committee recommended a fresh look at major contracts especially in the Ministry of Roads and Bridges with perceived due process violations.
They also pointed out duplication in the state’s ICT environment and demanded the teacher enumeration because of mesh employment numbers.
In his response, Governor-elect Okpebholo expressed his gratitude for the hard work of the committee and ensured that the recommendations will inform his government.
The PDP is well aware that it cannot win an ‘‘honest’ voter appeal, and the report is as sincere as a politician’s promise.
