BY FOLASHADE KEHINDE
GOVERNOR Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has maintained his claim on the printing of N60billion by the Federal Government to augment March allocation to states.
Obaseki stood by his position on the controversial issue when he reacted to the Federal Government’s denial on his official Twitter handle on Thursday.
He said rather than play the Ostrich, the Federal Government should take urgent steps to end what he described as the current monetary rascality in order to prevent the prevailing economic challenge in the country from degenerating further.
THE POINT had reported that the Federal Government, on Wednesday, denied Obaseki’s claim, describing his statement on the printing of N60billion as very sad.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had said the Federation Account Allocation Committee only distributed generated revenue.
Ahmed, who spoke to State House correspondents, in Abuja on Wednesday, added that the revenue distribution was always made public.
The minister said, “The issue that has been raised by the Edo State Governor, for me, is very sad because it is not a fact. What we distribute at FAAC is a revenue that is generated, and in fact, distribution revenue is public information, we publish it.
“So it is revenue generated by the FIRS, the Customs and the NNPC, that we distribute at FAAC. So it is not true to say we printed money to distribute at FAAC, it is not true.”
Reacting, the Edo Governor, who decamped from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party, said, “We believe it is our duty to offer useful advice for the benefit of our country.
“The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, @ZShamsuna should rally Nigerians to stem the obvious fiscal slide facing our country.”
“Rather than play the Ostrich, we urge the government to take urgent steps to end the current monetary rascality so as to prevent the prevailing economic challenge from degenerating further.
“We believe it is imperative to approach the Nigerian project with all sense of responsibility and commitment and not play to the gallery because ultimately time shall be the judge of us all,” he tweeted.
