Date: 2019-12-10

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State on Monday disclosed that he inherited over N100bn debt from the immediate past administration in the state headed by the former governor, Alhaji Abdulfattah Ahmed.

Abdulrazaq disclosed this in Ilorin while addressing an anti corruption campaign staged on the streets of Ilorin to mark this year's World Anti Corruption Day. The programme was organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The campaign led by Mr Isyaku Sharu, Head, Ilorin Zonal Office of EFCC, saw the display of anti corruption posters that read: 'EFCC unites against corruption,' 'EFCC commends SERAP for securing landmark judgment to recover pensions from ex-governors,' Let's support United Nation Convention against Corruption.'

Abdulrazaq who said corruption had crept into the entire fabric of the nation, stated that it was killing governance, education, health and other areas in society.

He said, "We thank the Ilorin Zonal Office of the EFCC for the recoveries they've made. When we came into power, there would have been nothing to inherit. The past government told us that they left a debt of N30bn but so far, we are looking at the debt of almost N100bn."

While calling on the people to join hands and form a ring against corruption, the governor said, "Corruption is detrimental to our economic and social development. It has reduced our capacity; it is killing our schools, our hospitals etc. We need to join hands to develop our society because if we don't tackle corruption, it will kill all of us."

Abdulrazaq thanked the EFCC for supporting his administration since it came to power especially for blocking the sum of N4.8bn tax refund which the previous administration would have wasted before the handing over as well as the handing over of N111m recovered loot from civil servants in the state.

He said, "If the EFCC did not block the N4.8bn tax refund for us from the last administration, we wouldn't have got anything to work with.

"That N4.8bn is in our cash reserve. We have not touched it. It will be used to balance the budget for next year. It will be invested in our schools, road infrastructure, among others."