Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Edo State Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Sam Oroupa has alleged that the N3.5 billion loan approved by the state house of assembly for the state governor was a parting gift for friends and cronies of the government to buy cars and acquire more landed property.
He made the allegation while reacting to the recent N3.5bn loan approval granted to Governor Godwin Obaseki by the 7th Edo State House of Assembly during its valedictory session last week
Oroupa said the loan was uncalled for and wonders why the house has to approve such.
According to Comrade Oroupa, “the recent 3.5bn loan approval granted Godwin Obaseki by the outgoing rubber stamp 7th State Assembly during its valedictory session is a slight on the sensibility of Edo people.
“The loan is nothing but a parting gift to friends and cronies to buy cars and landed properties at the expense of meaningful development for Edo people.
“The Peoples Democratic Party under governor Godwin Obaseki has plunged the state into serious and excruciating debt and the only way the state would come out clean and indebtedness is to do away with the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State and vote in a Labour Party governor come 2024 who is coming with people centric initiatives that would revamp the dwindling socio-economic and political fortunes of the state and also bridge the gap between the rich and the poor”.(Sic
He maintained that when Labour Party takes over the affairs of the state, it will not trade off the future of the Edo people through reckless borrowing.
“Labour Party is a party with clearcut ideologies and policies of development, people oriented programmes and blueprints tailored to bring about social justice, equity and an egalitarian society.
“Edo people can no longer afford to mortgage their future and collective destiny into the hands of a government that has sold them into slavery through reckless loans and borrowings.
“Both the APC and PDP that have ruled the state have both left huge debt burden on the state.
“You will recall that this government originated from APC but only just crossed over to PDP and were the architect of the borrowings”, Oroupa said.