Just In: Gombe debt profile N120b, Commissioner debunks N432b peddled by opposition
By Chima Azubuike
Gombe State Commissioner for Finance, Muhammad Gambo Magaji, has clarified spurious tales of debt profile to the tune of 432 billion naira, adding that instead the administration of Muhammadu Yahaya reduced it from N124billion inherited from past governments to N120b.
Magaji made this disclosure on Friday evening, while answering questions shortly after giving the breakdown of 2023 Budget of Continued Consolidation.
Our Correspondent reports that Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, earlier assented N176b for 2023 appropriation.
According to Magaji, the state has not borrowed too much, stressing that visible indices shows the government is in order.
He said, “Government is a continuum, we took over administration and met whether it is as liability and asset we will continue to run with it, till the end the second term of his excellency Alh. Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. The debt profile of Gombe is on the website of the Debt Management Office and it is there for everyone to see.
“The debt profile of Gombe is just at about N120billion, you can go and check it is verifiable. If we are telling you it is 120 plus billion naira today and we inherited 124 billion of debts so where are we, what have we done . It tells you we have not borrowed too much there have been political issues that Gombe is owing N432 billion, the figure is not up to one third of the figure peddled around.”
Speaking further Magaji, listed the following as indicators, which he said Gombe doesn’t exhibit. “Failure to pay salaries, Gombe pays pensions even before we pay salaries.
“Gombe is paying gratuity for the third time in this administration when gratuity has not been paid since 2014. Gombe State contractors have not come out for one day to protest non payment of contractual obligations, our bankers have not come to say we are owing and not paying.”
On his part, Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget Planning and Donor Coordination Dr. Ishiyaku Mohammed, explained that with Yahaya’s assent the 2023 appropriation has taken centre stage.
He prayed that all things being equal the governor would replicate the assent next year still as the helmsman of the state .
“Effectively making it 2023 appropriation law, it is the last budget to be assented to in this cycle. Inshallah, the governor will assent to 2024 budget in the year 2023,” Mohammed said.
