The Ondo State Government has said it did not collect N82bn from the Federal Government.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, on Monday, said that the Federal Government never paid N82bn to the state as part of the money owed the state through the Paris Club deductions.
Akinmade, who accused the All Progressives Congress of being behind the allegation, said it was unfortunate that a party planning to form government in the state could make such an allegation.
The commissioner, who said attempts by the APC to rule the people with lies had failed in the past, maintained that it was high time the party prepared to face the task of governance from next year.
The statement said, “The task is more herculean for the APC because of the unprecedented high standard of governance it will inherit from the incumbent government.
“Feeding the people with lies won’t do it, but sincerity of purpose and a genuine desire to make an impact on the lives of the people.”
In the same vein, Benue State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. David Olufu has claimed the state is yet to receive from the Federal Government, the refund of over deductions from the State Government’s allocations between 1995 and 2002 to settle Paris and London Clubs loan.
Mr. Olofu stated this at the end of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Samuel Ortom.
The commissioner was reacting to the reports in the media that the state has received the funds.
Earlier, Chairman Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Dino Melaye, had called on State governors owing civil servants’ salaries to pay now, having received huge amounts from the Federal Government.
He specifically charged most of the governors who pay civil servants both at the state and LG levels to ameliorate the suffering of the people as directed by the federal government.
However, the Finance Commissioner who jointly briefed newsmen with the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Ode Ageh, explained that although the Federal Government has agreed to refund 25% of the $181 million due to the state, it was yet to release the money.
He therefore enjoined the people to disregard reports being peddled in both the conventional and social media that N91 billion has been credited to the state, assuring that as soon as the 25% of the $181 million comes in, the government will adequately inform the people.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Ode Ageh said the State Executive Council directed the Finance Commissioner, that of Justice and BIRS to recover Pay As You Earn tax owed the state Government by some organizations.
He said Council also cleared San Carlos Limited, one of the companies indicted by the Justice Elizabeth Kpojime Commission of Inquiry, of indebtedness after it refunded N355.9 million naira to government coffers.
