21st March, 2022
By Usman Aliyu
The Edo Government has said it has no plan to obtain a N7 billion loan to finance the Light Up Edo project, contrary to claims by opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.
Mr Andrew Emwanta, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, made the clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Benin on Monday.
Emwanta was reacting to an allegation by the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), that the government had plans to obtain a loan.
NAN reports that the APC chairman in the state, Col. David Imuse (Rtd), had at a news conference on Saturday, stated that accessing such a loan would further increase Edo’s debt profile.
Imuse described any such plan as unfortunate, and expressed the party’s rejection of any attempt by the state government to access the loan.
“The Light Up Edo project is a scam; we have only seen the repainting of a few street light poles.
“Nothing has been achieved by the current government. Planning to access another loan shows that it is not serious with governance,” Imuse alleged.
Meanwhile, Emwanta said it was laughable to accuse the state government of planning to obtain a loan to fund an already completed project.
The commissioner also said it was unfortunate that the APC was attacking the state government for inaugurating completed projects.
“Nothing can be more anti-development than such a statement.
“They deliberately excluded major people-oriented projects that have been completed by the current administration.
“They rather chose to criticise the state government’s move to comply with the master plan as required by law,” Emwanta said.
According to him however, Gov. Godwin Obaseki-led administration will not be distracted by smear campaign and cheap blackmail.
The commissioner said that the state government would remain committed towards fulfilling its electioneering promises to Edo people.
(NAN)