By Dennis Agbo

ABAKALIKI—A group of professionals from Ebonyi State, under the aegis of Ebonyi Professionals, resident in Abuja, has stated its intention to track the expenditure of the N20 billion recently floated by the state government from the capital market.

The group said even though it had no cause to doubt the integrity of the government, it would, however, keep close watch on the deployment of the funds to specific projects for which the soft loan was obtained.

Speaking during an interaction with newsmen in Abakaliki, co-convener of the group, Mr. Magnus Eze, explained that since the group threw its weight behind the bond, it was only proper that it followed up the expenditure to ensure that most of the laudable projects embarked upon by the government justified the facility.

Eze, who is also the Executive Director of Centre for Media and Development, CMD, disclosed that his group would also involve other civil society groups in the tracking of the N20 billion bond, stressing that it was high time citizens started taking interest in the way those in government expended public wealth and ensure prudence and fiscal responsibility.

He noted that the N20 billion bond would guarantee the speedy completion of such projects as the International Market, Ebonyi Five Star Hotel, the Mega Water schemes, Rice Processing factory in the three senatorial districts of the state, among other gigantic projects.

He maintained that the state government took a wise decision to go to the capital market in view of the critical nature of those projects to the socio-economic development of the state.

He noted that Ebonyi Professionals decided to take interest in the expenditure of the fund based on the concerns raised by various citizens about the sincerity of the government to deploy the money to those specific projects on the heels of next general elections.