Cross River State governor, Senator Bassey Otu, on Wednesday tackled the Debt Management Office, DMO, over claims that his government borrowed about N16 billion between May last year and now.
Otu was reacting to a publication by the DMO, in which the various states that have taken various loans were listed. Cross River was listed among the states that have taken loans under the present political dispensation.
But the governor said it was not true that he ever took any loans since he became governor, In fact, he has challenged the DMO to come up with proof to the contrary.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Nsa Gill, Otu wondered how the Debt Management Office arrived at N220.2billion as the domestic debt profile of Cross River State as of December 2023, up from N204.04billion posted for the state as of June 30th, 2023.
He said “the difference in the figures, subtracting N204billion from N220.2billion is the purported N16.2billion reported as a fresh domestic loan allegedly obtained by Governor Bassey Otu’s administration. “This is not true.”
“There’s no record in the annals of the State government that suggests that fresh borrowing was undertaken; since inception till date; both domestic debt and foreign debt.”
“We challenge any person, including the DMO, who has evidence of any fresh loan taken under the administration of Governor Bassey Otu to make that Public,” the Governor’s Spokesman said.
He noted that fresh loans take processes including seeking legislative approvals. “The governor has not signed nor taken in a fresh loan on behalf of the state.”
“Anyone in doubt of our position can make findings with the state legislature and even to the DMO. I have taken up the matter with the DMO and they have denied knowledge of any fresh loan under the current administration”.
The Chief Press Secretary said Governor Otu frowns at the manner the figures were posted by the DMO as fresh debt profile of the State Government, which has caused confusion in the minds of well- meaning citizens and lovers of our State.
Adding, “It is also pertinent that the media and the general public understands that the dynamics of DMO debt profile spreadsheets includes the principal amount plus interest over time as well as other variables that may have been made available to DMO; such as judgment debts, contract debts, garnish orders, etc. In this case, Cross River State Government vehemently rebukes any interest calculation and any surreptitious calculation that portrays the government to have increased her domestic debt profile by N16.2billion within June 2023 to December 2023. And the Foreign debt by $57.9million within the same period.
“We would like to reiterate that, Senator Bassey Edet Otu’s “People First” administration has promised the good people of Cross River State a very financially responsible leadership and will not borrow except for very critical and fiscally responsible reasons in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007.”
