Anambra denies taking Islamic Bank loan

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE & BEN AGANDE
ABUJA — Anambra State government has denied any relationship with an Islamic bank as claimed by governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, while defending the proposed Islamic bank financial policy before members of the House of Representatives last Thursday.

Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, representing Awka/ Dunukofia in Anambra State, yesterday, presented a letter by Anambra State government denying ever transacting any business with an Islamic bank.
She told the House that the CBN governor should correct the misinformation, claiming she had received numerous calls from home asking questions about the veracity of the claim.

The letter, signed by the Finance Commissioner, Eze Echesi, read in part:    “Anambra State did not at anytime take any loan from Islamic Development Bank. Some time in 2007/2008, Anambra State was among the three  qualifying states viz: Yobe, Gombe and Anambra, for support from the Federal Government under the National Programme for Food Security Expansion Phase Support Project.

“As a qualifying state, based on established criteria, the Federal Government earmarked funds for on-lending to the three qualifying states for the purpose of assisting in the financing of this project in the states.

“The responsibility for identifying the source and sourcing of such funding is and has remained that of the Federal Government which  could have obtained such funds from either Islamic Development Bank or any other bank and anywhere for that matter.

“To put the records straight,  there was no time that Anambra State approached Islamic Development Bank for any facility or financing of any sort.”

Lamido had last Thursday told members of the House that Anambra State obtained a loan from the bank.