The Edo State Government, on Monday, accused the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki of leaving behind a N600bn debt burden, a claim the ex-governor’s camp strongly denied.
Addressing journalists on Monday as part of activities marking one year in office of Governor Monday Okpebholo, the Commissioner for Communication and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, alleged that the previous administration left huge financial liabilities, including N187bn owed to contractors.
Afegbua, who served on the Asset Verification Committee, also revealed that the current government had begun investigations into major projects initiated by the Obaseki administration — notably the Radisson Hotel and the Museum of West African Arts.
“When we reviewed the land mappings, we discovered that a large expanse of land belonging to the old General Hospital was taken over for the MOWAA project,” Afegbua said. “The governor has met with the promoters and expressed displeasure that such a vital health facility was sacrificed for a museum.”
On the Radisson Hotel project, the commissioner alleged irregularities in the ownership structure.
“A private individual registered a company, brought N10bn as equity, and took 80 per cent ownership, while Edo State, which invested N25bn, was left with only 20 per cent. Despite receiving N1.68 trillion in total revenue, the Obaseki administration still left a debt profile of about N600bn,” he added.
But in a swift rebuttal, Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media, Crusoe Osagie, dismissed the allegations as “false and diversionary,” urging the Okpebholo administration to focus on governance instead of propaganda.
Osagie said, “The Radisson Blu transaction was transparently executed, and details are contained in the Transition Report we handed over. If they truly believe a crime was committed, they should report it to the EFCC rather than making empty allegations.”
He also denied the debt claim, insisting that the Obaseki administration left over N40bn in various state accounts at the time of exit.
“If we had N40bn and were owing contractors, why didn’t we pay them? These are lies,” he said.
According to Osagie, several projects, including the Ekenhuan Road and Stella Obasanjo Hospital, were ongoing at the time the administration left office.
