Outrage in Enugu as lawmakers secretly approve N11bn loan for Chime
Angry
reactions have greeted the N11 billion loan approved for Governor
Sullivan Chime-led government by the Enugu State House of Assembly.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi recalls that the House had last week adjourned plenary till December.
How,
in a dramatic move, it held plenary on Thursday, where an N11 billion
naira loan was approved for Governor Chime. Journalists were barred from
covering the proceedings.
In
a reaction to the development, the Enugu Rescue Group, ERG, called on
the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to stop the N11 billion loan from
commercial banks, describing it as “2015 general election bonanza that
would be of no benefit to the masses of the State”.
This came even
as the group strongly condemned what it termed the penchant of the
Enugu State House of Assembly and Chime administration for the conduct
of public business in secrecy, saying that the emergency reconvening of
the House, which had earlier adjourned plenary till December 2, just to
approve the loan was very questioning.
In a statement signed by
its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Martins Okenwa and made available to
reporters on Friday, 14th of November, the Enugu-based pressure group lashed at the State
House of Assembly for approving the N11 billion loan, insisting that the
move would further enslave the current and unborn generations of Enugu
State.
The ERG said: “The reasons adduced for the loan, which is
to complete ongoing projects and offset an earlier loan, is
untenable
and fallacious. We strongly believe that the loan is not unconnected
with the 2015 general election.
“We
consider it unhealthy for both the State’s economy and the 2015 general
election in the State to make such monumental sum available to a
government during an election season, especially when they are
desperately searching for an alternative political platform to actualise
the political ambitions of the Governor’s allies, which is believed to
be in jeopardy under the PDP.
“We, therefore, call on the Central
Bank of Nigerian and other relevant financial regulatory agencies to
stop the loan. We also wish to make it categorically clear to the banks
in question that loaning such money to the Chime Administration is at
their own risk as incoming people’s government will not repay such
dubious loan.”
The group said there would not have been any need
for the House of Assembly to approve the loan in a closed door session
if the administration if the loan was for public good.
Also
reacting to the loan approval, President of Jonathan Support Group, JSG,
Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Chief Paul Anikwe, said it was surprising that
the governor who had less than five months to go would decide to incur
such a huge debt, which would definitely not be repaid before the
expiration of his tenure.
He said:“Until proper explanations are made, the CBN should halt the release of
the fund while the UBA and GTB should know that they are giving the
money at their own risk”.
WOW! this is serious, do you perceive something fishy about this? Do leave your comments in the comment box...
