Ekiti debt profile worrisome —Fayose

EKITI State governor-elect, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has set up a nine-man transition committee to do underground work for his smooth take off on October 16.
Fayose had also lamented the debt profile of the state under Governor Kayode Fayemi, saying it was “worrisome and disturbing.”
He also warned those with political ambition in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 against name-dropping, saying “nobody in the party has been slated for any appointment, except two people he promised to be given on concessional grounds.”
Inaugurating the committee in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Wednesday, Fayose regretted that Fayemi’s government had plunged the state into huge debt, to an extent that members of the public would have to be sensitised about situations on ground, because of high expectations.

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He warned the members of the committee against turning the position into political appointment, saying “you are to work with the government as a team constituted for fact-finding mission in the state.”
Members of the committee, he said included Chief Dipo Anisulowo (chairman), Mrs Modupe Alade (secretary), Pastor Kola Oluwawole, Mr Owoseeni Ajayi, Reverend Wale Komolafe, Mr Biodun Alasoluyi, Mr Benjamin Komolafe, Mr Seye Alade and Mr Dayo Ajayi.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Tayo Ekundayo, advised Fayose to stop throwing jibes at the government but wait until he took over before making policy statements, as he said a sum of N13 billion had been paid back out of the bond taken by Fayemi’s government.
Ekundayo added that the government had not taken other loans apart from the N25 billion that was borrowed from the capital market.
“Does Fayose has the account of the state? We have never hidden anything from the people. He is a governor-elect and must not jump the gun. He cannot be commenting on issue he has no record about. It is like the man is eager and he must stop making comments until he takes over to be able to question the finances of the state,” he said.
Expressing worry over the state’s debt profile, Fayose said “the current government of Governor Fayemi has plunged Ekiti State into huge debt and our money is being deducted from source. Available records shows that Fayemi has taken N25 billion loan and only N8 billion had been paid back. This is very disturbing and worrisome.
“They are also diverting the money for salaries to pay contractors who had not been on ground in the last one year, so that they can incur huge debt just for Fayose not to have a smooth sail.
“When I left government, I left a sum of N10.4 billion in the coffers apart from the fact that we did well. But today, we are inheriting debt. I have to let our people know because of people’s expectations, as Ekiti State’s situation is not promising at all and there is no magic to be perform where there is no money.
“But the APC must realise that they will still need these Ekiti people they are working at punishing again and it will be wrong to toy with their future. So, I plead with Fayemi to pay the salaries of workers,” Fayose advised.
Fayose advised the committee not to use the opportunity to fight the state government, saying “I want to plead with you not to make this a fight. You just have to get the facts and let the people be aware of the situation on ground.”
He said only those with grass roots connection will be fielded for future elections in PDP, warning whoever has political ambition to desist from using his name to intimidate other interested members