As controversies continue to loom over the true status of Osun state debt profile, former governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has clarified that his administration did not engage in reckless borrowings as recently alleged by the immediate past Governor Oyetola.
The two-time governor of the stated that his administration collected only three loans, adding that two of which were liquidated before the expiration of his sec
seond tenure in office.
He explained that the two major loans he took had been liquidated while the other ones are long-term concessional facilities by the federal government with minimal monthly deductions.
Aregbesola said: “I will suggest that you look at all the loans and get to the Accountant-General of the state at Abere. I think the Accountant General or the Permanent Secretary (Finance) would have better information because it is the Accountant-General that raised a memo based on the query of the governor.
The Minister of Interior Affairs claimed that the administration of his successor, should be blamed for incurring huge debts.
The New Diplomat reports that the newly sworn in Governor of Osun, Ademola Adeleke, shortly after resuming office, raised alarm over the humongous debt profile of the state. He disclosed that the state owed N407.32 billion, blaming the administration of Oyetola for incurring the debt.
But Oyetola, in a swift reaction, denied the allegation, rather pushed the the state debt burden on the Aregbesola’s administration.
However, the Osun State House of Assembly, at the weekend, disclosed it’s resolve to investigate the debt profile by inviting the relevant agencies to seek clarifications.
Reacting, Aregbesola, in a statement by his media aide, Sola Fasure, Saturday, urged comprehensive investigation into the matter, stressing that the Osun State Accountant-General would be in a better position to give the true particulars of the indebtedness of the state, adding that the impasse was between Adeleke and Oyetola.
“The matter is between Adeleke and Oyetola administrations because the Aregbesola debts have been liquidated. It was not Aregbesola that took the N18 billion loan that was taken after the election. Oyetola took some other loans, including salary support from the federal government.
“They caused the problem for themselves. If they had set up a transition committee and if they had cooperated well with the incoming governor after they had lost the election, there would have been a smooth change of government.“They would have compared notes and there would be no rancour. But he was busy sowing mines on the path of the incoming governor, creating problems for him, and spending money with reckless abandon. What did he do with N18 billion? Now the new government is fighting back. If the new government takes the matter up to the EFCC, there would be problems for the Oyetola’s administration.
“They should count Aregbesola out of their problems because out of the three loans he took, two have been liquidated. It is only the long-term debt that is remaining and only the Accountant-General can give us the status of the loan because it is no longer what it was because deductions are being made.”
