Amosun left over N18 billion in Ogun State treasury, says ex- commissioner

The immediate past Commissioner for Finance in Ogun State, Adewale Oshinowo, yesterday debunked the claim by Governor Dapo Abiodun that he met an empty treasury in the state, insisting that former Governor Ibikunle Amosun left behind N18.3 billion.

He gave the breakdown of money left in the treasury as N5.735 billion was from the Federation Account (FAAC/JAAC), N2.483 billion from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and N10.6 billion as refunds for Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE).

Abiodun had said that his administration inherited an empty treasury, which forced him to obtain a bank loan of N7 billion to pay workers’ salaries in May 2019.

Oshinowo, in a statement, described the report as nothing but falsehood.

He said that Governor Abiodun does not need to borrow loans from banks to pay salaries when the inherited money is still intact in the state treasury.

The former commissioner said the loan process was not in accordance with the law, adding that the State Executive Council and the Federal Ministry of Finance and Debt Management Office were not carried along.

He, however, dared the governor to explain the reasons and motives behind the N7 billion loan he claimed to have obtained in the bank on May 30, 2019, with undisclosed interest rates.

Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor could not be reached as of the time of filing the report.