PDP calls for monitoring of financial inflows to Kogi

By Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on financial watch organisations to join the people of Kogi state in monitoring all monetary activities of the Yahaya Bello administration.

The party also called for monitoring of financial inflows into the state coffers, particularly, the N10.06 billion refund that the federal government recently announced for the state.

In a statement on Tuesday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party insisted that the N10.6 billion must be declared when released and be channeled for the payment of workers’ salaries.

This, the party said, was necessary to check possible misuse of the funds or diversion for selfish purposes.

“In this regard, the PDP urges all financial watch organisations to join the people of Kogi state in monitoring all monetary activities of the Bello administration.”

The party cautioned commercial banks in the country to be circumspect in giving loans or any form of credit to the present administration in the state.

The PDP further warned that the state would not be willing to take responsibility for such facilities after Bello might have vacated office “in a few months’ time”.

The party said the banks should note that Governor Bello cannot scale the hurdles of the November governorship election in which the governor is seeking re-election.

According to the main opposition party, the people of the state have already reached a consensus to vote in the PDP candidate, Mr Musa Wada, as their next governor.

“The PDP cautions financial institutions to note that Governor Bello and his administration now have a Caveat Emptor badge and that the people of Kogi are not ready to inherit their financial liabilities.

“The party alerts that the caution is sequel to information at our disposal on alleged intentions of the Bello administration to mislead commercial banks into granting it huge loans, under certain hazy terms and conditions, after which the money would be frittered by APC leaders and cronies of the administration.

“Our party wants the nation to note that the people of Kogi state can no longer accept any further mortgaging of the future of the state by Yahaya Bello, whose administration has gone down as the most profligate in the history of our nation and which cannot account for over N700bn of Kogi funds released to it in the last four years,” the PDP said.

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The party further stated that any individual or organisation that is in league on the alleged loan requests would directly be supporting the torture and impoverishment of the people the state in the hands of the Bello administration.

The administration, the PDP, said, has manifested so much insensitivity in owing workers as much as 36 months salary arrears.

“On our part, the PDP is committed to running a prudent, transparent and productive administration where the welfare and economic empowerment of the people is overriding; where salaries are paid promptly, where infrastructural development in critical sectors take centre stage and where accountability is the watchword,” the statement added.