Ajimobi closes 178 bank accounts allegedly operated by Akala

By OLA AJAYI, IBADAN
Governor Abiola Ajimobi led administration in Oyo State has closed about 168 bank accounts out of over 300 which his predecessor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala allegedly operated while in government.

Gov Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala

After the closure of the excess bank accounts, he disclosed that his government realised N7b which is being used for developmental projects.

Speaking through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Adelabu Zaccheaus Wednesday in Ibadan, he alleged that operating the unnecessary account had resulted in the loss of several millions of Naira.

The Commissioner stressed that the accounts were later consolidated into a few.

He said, “I met 168 accounts when we came on board and another 150 in ministries. Now, how can such accounts be well coordinated? We had to close those accounts leaving only one in each bank. We realized N7 billion from those accounts”.

Closing the excess bank accounts also blocked several loopholes through which individuals and organizations may steal government money.

The commissioner used the opportunity to comment on the statement by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, that government should trim down its workforce by 50 percent saying the advice, if heeded, would further plunge the country into serious economic mess.

Instead, he suggested that the government should partner with the private sector to boost the economy.

He explained further that government needed to generate more revenue and this necessitated its decision to partner with the private sector and also embark on other creative ways of shoring up the internally Generated Revenue.

“Government exists for the welfare of the people. That is why people’s plight plays a central role in our decisions in Oyo State. Rather than sack half of the work force, government should seek other means of cutting cost and shore up its revenue to be able to deliver on his electoral promises.

However I agree that over-bloated staff will stunt development but we will continue to be creative in finding solutions to the problem of funds in Oyo State.” He said.

Continuing, he noted “we are wealthy as a nation but the practice of federalism in this country is lopsided. For instance, the allocation sharing formula is lopsided.