Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has issued a directive to immediately freeze all state-owned bank accounts in Edo, effective from Thursday. The freeze will remain in place until further notice. The governor’s order applies to all commercial banks and extends to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), with strict penalties outlined for any MDAs or civil servants who fail to comply with the order.
A statement from the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, emphasized the need for compliance, warning that any failure to adhere would result in serious consequences. The governor stated that investigations and account reconciliations would be conducted, and after their completion, further action would be determined.
In addition to the freeze on bank accounts, Governor Okpebholo also issued a directive to rename the Ministry of Roads and Bridges back to its original title, the Ministry of Works. This change comes as part of the governor’s efforts to address what he described as ineffective governance under the previous administration led by Godwin Obaseki. Governor Okpebholo criticized Obaseki’s administration for adopting the Ministry of Roads and Bridges name without delivering substantial infrastructure projects, particularly roads or bridges.
In his statement, Governor Okpebholo remarked: “All bank accounts in all the commercial banks have been frozen. Commercial banks must comply with the order and ensure that not a dime is taken out of the coffers of Government until there is a further notice. Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies must comply with this order and ensure that there is full compliance without any further delays.”
He further clarified that, following necessary investigations and reconciliations, further steps would be taken, and decisions made in the best interest of the state. The governor also took the opportunity to criticize the previous administration for its failure to implement any substantial road or bridge projects, highlighting the absurdity of maintaining a ministry name that had not reflected any real achievements in infrastructure development.
The statement continued: “The reversed infamous name was conceptualized during the administration of Godwin Obaseki. Governor Okpebholo said since no bridges or good roads were constructed by the administration of Obaseki, it is therefore absurd to maintain such a name.” The governor further expressed his disbelief, stating, “It is funny how you can call a government institution Ministry of Roads and Bridges. Ironically, no single bridge was built by the same administration. Not even a pedestrian bridge.”
Governor Okpebholo concluded by stating that more actions would be taken in the future to address the state’s needs and further decisions will be made in the best interest of Edo State. The freezing of the bank accounts and renaming of the ministry are just the beginning of his administration’s efforts to address the state’s challenges. He promised to take the necessary steps to ensure that the people of Edo are better served and that past inefficiencies would be corrected.