N18.9bn debt: I inherited sick economy – Gov. Abdullahi Sule

Nasarawa Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has raised the alarm that the huge debt he inherited from previous administration was affecting the smooth running of his government.

He explained that tough times awaited the people next year as revenue accruing to the state kept dwindling. He regretted that huge sums of money taken by previous administrations were being deducted at source, monthly, by the Federal Government as bailout, budget support facility and infrastructure loan.

Governor Sule stated this at the retreat for new commissioners when he hosted speakers of legislative councils in the 13 LGAs at the government house, Lafia.

It was gathered that the immediate past government under Umaru Tanko Al-Makura received N8.9 billion bailout in September 2015. The same government also took another loan of about N800 million to pay salaries and N10 billion loan from excess crude account to develop infrastructures in the state.

But two months to handover, Al-Makura had said he was not leaving behind any debt for his successor.

Al-Makura, now a senator representing Nasarawa South had said he inherited N40 billion debt on assumption of office in 2011 but had cleared all the debt he inherited from past administration.

“The Sule administration will take off on a clean slate as all the debts owed by the state have been cleared. All the loans I took to execute capital projects have been paid off in addition to clearing N40 billion debt inherited,” Al-Makura had said.

(Credit: Daily Sun)