I inherited about N300 million, over N109 billion in debts from Obiano – Soludo

I inherited about N300 million, over N109 billion in debts from Obiano – 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.

“We intend to have a very transparent public financial management where we are going to be publishing everything. Everybody will know what is there and what is not there, what penny comes in and what it is used for,” he said.

Made-in-Anambra Agenda

The governor reiterated his resolve to use only made-in-Anambra products. He said the initiative is in line with his vision for job creation.

“You will not get to Europe and find any European government using or buying Japanese Toyota for the operations of their police or for their president or officers. That government will come down the next day.

“That’s how you create jobs. Can you imagine 215 million people patronising textiles that were made here? You are going to create tens of thousands of jobs, in fact millions of jobs,” he said.

He said he would encourage the makers of local products in the state to proudly brand their products made-in-Anambra, rather than stamping names of foreign brands on their products to boost patronage.

“That’s a way that Nigeria, not just Anambra, must go. We will eat our food, we will drink our drink, we will wear our clothes, put on our shoes and we will create millions of jobs.

“It is not going to be a temporary thing. It is something I believe in and I am going to live through that,” Mr Soludo said.