EFCC, ICPC urged to probe A/Ibom finances

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Debt Management Office (DMO) shouldn’t approve Akwa Ibom state’s request for debt restructuring until the state finances are probed, former information commissioner in the state Ita Awak has said.

He urged the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other relevant agencies to conduct a forensic audit of the state’s finances from 2007 to 2015.

In a statement, Awak wondered why the same administration which earlier said the state was not owing up to N60 billion will turn around to say the debt profile is N64.5 billion.

He accused Governor Udom Emmanuel and his finance commissioner, Mr Akan Okon of being economical with the truth.

“By this, it then means that Udom Emmanuel took the liberty to borrow, without any clearance from the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, the extra N4.5 plus billion. He should come out and tell us exactly how much debt Akpabio left behind. Akwa Ibom people deserve to know that. We see his refusal to disclose the debt profile as part of efforts to protect his predecessor, Godswill Akpabio,” he said.

He maintained that the state has no reason to owe when it received over N3 trillion from the Federation Account in the last eight years.