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Anambra State Government has disclosed that it is still repaying loans obtained by previous administrations, including those of former governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano.
Naija News reports that the State Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, made this revelation on Sunday while speaking on the Ndi Anambra podcast released by the state government’s New Media team.
He stated that the inherited loans is part of the incumbent administration financial commitments despite the decision of the Chukwuma Soludo administration not to take fresh commercial bank loans since it came into office.
The commissioner explained the state’s current financial position and the steps taken by the Soludo administration to reduce its debt burden, stating that the government has focused largely on paying existing obligations rather than accumulating new debts.
“It’s on record that this administration has not borrowed a kobo from any commercial bank since the inception of this administration,” he said.
Okafor further said that the absence of new commercial borrowing does not mean the state has completely stopped making debt payments, noting that funds due to Anambra from the Federation Account Allocation Committee are still being deducted to service loans contracted by earlier administrations.
Okafor specifically linked some of the outstanding obligations to the administrations of Obi and Obiano.
“These loans were borrowed during the time of Peter Obi and Willie Obiano, the past governors,” Okafor added.
How much did Peter Obi borrow and from which bank? It is not enough to say Anambra State Government is still paying loans of Obi and Obiano, state the various loans taken by each of the past Governors; the bank or banks and the amount each took from these banks. Obi has stated the ecological fund he left behind, the amount and the bank, FirstBank, the account details.