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I’m leaving N42.5bn for Ihedioha, he has no excuse not to succeed– Okorocha

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IMO GUBER: Okorocha blames Oshiomhole, says posterity will judge him

The outgoing Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, has revealed that he will be handing over 42.5billion to the incoming governor, Emeka Ihedioha.

He stated that he kept the amount for Ihedioha so that there won’t be excuses in carrying out government activities.

Okorocha made this disclosure during the swearing-in of eleven Permanent Secretaries including the new Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary, Deacon Donald Igbo, and the new Head of Service, Ngozi Ama Eluma.

According to Okorocha, N8.1billion of the said amount was meant for the payment of salaries and Capital Projects, while N5.2billion was for pension arrears.

He said that N7.6 billion was meant for the renovation of schools, while N21.6billion was mapped out for rural roads, totaling N42.5billion.

READ ALSO: I’m the most criticised person in Nigeria today, but ‘mark it, I’ll be president’- Okorocha

Okorocha explained that petitions from some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains had led to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) blocking the money for the payment of arrears of pension and others, at the point of starting the payments.

He said: “Imo State Government have kept aside a total of N42.5bn for the in-coming government, and for that reason, I will set up a sub-committee to make sure that the projects they are attached to, come to fruition even when I am out of office or when I will not be available because government is a continuum.

“The breakdown of these funds are as follows: N8.1bn that came into Imo State offers from both State and LG, from FAAC, that money has not been expended as not even one Naira has been taken away from it and the money is in Zenith Bank and has not been touched.

“The second money is N5.2bn in Access Bank, the remnant of the Paris Club fund, not one Naira has been removed from it.

“The third fund is N7.6bn, money that came from UBEC. Imo State has paid a total of N3.8bn counterpart fund and UBEC has brought in their N3.8bn. That gave us N7.6bn. That money is intact and not one Naira has been removed from it.

“The fourth fund is the RAMP fund of $60m representing N21.6bn and is also in Imo State Government’s account. It is with First Bank. The money is also here in Imo State and no one Naira has been touched”.

According to him, “If you total N8.1b plus N5.2b, N7.6b and N21.6b, you of have a total N42.6b which I will be handing over to Emeka Ihedioha-led government as from the 29th of May, 2019.

“How are these money meant to be expended? I want to put it succinctly clear. N8. The 1bn naira from FAAC usually will cover payment the cost of salaries and capital projects.

“This government is expected to spend this N8.1bn Naira for the payment of salaries for May and also for the payment of other contractual obligations as may be deemed fit.”

The new Permanent Secretaries sworn-in today are: Donald Igbo, Edith Ekenze, Elias Anyanwu, Justus Oguoma, Reginald Oguike, Benjamin Nnamadu, Patricia Elebiri, George Ejiogu, Patricia Ezeonyeachi, Ngozi Bernadine and Meg Obi.

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