We inherited N100b debts not N30b, says AbdulRazaq

Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday said that his administration inherited a sum of N100 billion debts from the former government of AbdulFatah Ahmed.

The governor added that this is contrary to N30 billion debts the outgone government said it left behind.

Mallam AbdulRazaq said this in Ilorin, the state capital at a rally to mark this year’s world anti-corruption day organized by the Ilorin Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Said he: “Today is a glorious day. This march is important message is simple. There is no time for long story. If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill all us. Corruption is detrimental to our socio-economic development. It reduces our capacity. So it is important we all join hands together to fight the monster.

“I thank the EFCC for the recovery it has made. When we came into power there would have been nothing for us to inherit. The outgone government told us that they left a debt of N30 billion but so far we are looking at almost N100 billion indebtedness. If the EFCC had not blocked N4.8 billion for us at the eve of our assumption of office we would have had nothing to work with.

“And I can tell you that we have not touched the N4.8 billion. It is in our cash reserve to work on our economy and balance the budget for next year, to work on our schools, our roads and infrastructure.

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“I also thank the EFCC for the recovery of over N111 million which I personally went into their office to collect. On the issue of the Kwara state Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS), we will be surprised pleasantly as a government to see what can be recovered from there and be re-invested in our social development. We will work together with them assiduously to end corruption in our society.”

Earlier, Ilorin Zonal Head, Isyaku Sharu put the worth of both cash and assets so far recovered by the commission in the state at N3.6 billion.

Mr. Sharu said that “this is both interim and final forfeiture from suspected treasury looters. Some of these properties are in Ikoyi, Lekki, Lagos and the recent one at GRA Ilorin, worth a billion Naira which was gotten last week.

“It is pertinent to note that at the eve of last handing over, the commission saved the state attempted pilferage of over four billion Naira tax refund. Currently, investigation into KWIRS led to the recovery of about N50 million.

Effort is on top gear to recover the remaining balance of about four billion Naira from some notable individuals in the state fingered in the alleged case of fraud in KWIRS.”