OGUN: N50b debt not declared by Amosun govt – Gov’s aide

THE Governor Dapo Abiodun administration has said the figures given to it by the immediate past administration, led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun, did not capture the entire liabilities it left behind in 2019.

The current administration said it has discovered an alleged hidden additional N50bn domestic debt left behind by the immediate-past administration of Amosun.

In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin, the Abiodun administration claimed that not less than N50bn in financial liabilities were not accounted for in the financial report handed over to him in May 2019.

The governor’s statement was a reaction to the report by the Debt Management Office which stated that the government incurred N58bn domestic debt within the period of his administration.

The DMO in the report revealed that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration borrowed N58bn as domestic debt in 18 months.

The DMO report which was published on March 15 signified that from June 30, 2019 to December 30, 2020, the Ogun State Government had acquired a total of N58,316,493,347 local debts.

But the current government in its reaction said the recent report by the DMO showed that the omitted figures by the immediate past administration in the state on the domestic debt had an impact on the DMO report.

The statement reads partly, “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.

“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.

“Governor Dapo Abiodun has started paying the retirees and pensioners affected, with the first tranche of N500m paid to them last month. Every quarter, the governor has promised to pay them at least N500m until everyone is paid.

“The increase in the 2020 total debt of the state was due to an undisclosed gratuity and staff liabilities of about N50bn not recognised 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.

“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 infrastructure, 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.”