Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has said that he met about N350 million in the state treasury but inherited about N109 billion debt when he assumed office: “Everybody knows that the state finances are not quite robust, to put it mildly. The cash we met in various banks, if I remember correctly, I think N300 or N400 million, and then from the audited account as at (of) December, 2021, the debts (was) about N109 billion.”
I want to believe that Mr. Governor is not surprised. So, this must not punt his transformation agenda. The biggest challenge for Nigeria is that some federal loans will mature in 30, 50 years and no one has structured sinking funds (money you save or set aside, say monthly, to say help you pay debt when it matures) for them. The implication is massive because at state and federal levels, Nigeria has borrowed the futures of its young people.
But to reverse that tragedy, Governor Soludo was elected. He did not complain about this revelation, and I commend him for that. Those who stole money must be prosecuted but the future must not be lived in the past. So, the execution of the agenda must go on because the Anambra people are ready.
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I hope the same for Abia state; no excuses will be accepted, get the job done. And I hope we find our own Soludo.
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has said he met “about N300 to N400 million” in the state treasury but inherited about N109 billion debt when he assumed office.
Mr Soludo disclosed this on Tuesday when he appeared on The Morning Show on Arise News Television.
The governor said the state’s finances were not robust, but that his administration would not be daunted by the situation.
“Everybody knows that the state finances are not quite robust, to put it mildly. The cash we met in various banks, if I remember correctly, I think N300 or N400 million, and then from the audited account as at (of) December, 2021, the debts (was) about N109 billion,” he said.
Mr Soludo said his administration would build a transparent public financial management in the state to monitor the state’s treasury.
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If everything is fine, then there may not be any need to elect a leader. Nobody will judge you by the bad situation you met, but rather how you were able to change the trajectory for better. The first sign of incompetence is to complain about the past, and Soludo was smart enough to avoid that. He just needs to see any stolen money recovered as a bonus, that is how to avoid being distracted. When you want something badly, your creativity and ingenuity will be at their finest, with no room for mental laziness.
As for Abia State, the citizens need to be a lot more radical in their demand for competent governor, it just feels like the intellectuals and brilliant minds from there are too comfortable with having mediocres always popping up as governors, they have a chance to upend everything this time.