Fintiri raises alarm over Adamawa’s huge debt

The Adamawa State Governor-elect, Rt Hon Ahmadu Fintiri, has raised the alarm over a revelation that he would inherit a debt of N115 billion when he takes over from Governor Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow on Wednesday, May 29.

Fintiri, who made the vow Saturday afternoon in Yola while receiving the report of a transition committee, which he constituted to review the activities of the Bindow government, asked Adamawa people to join him in correcting the ills of the past.

“Posterity will not forgive us if we fail to ask the right questions about how a state that received a combined income of N332 billion is hopelessly neck deep in debt and has to take overdrafts to pay salary in the last four years,” Fintiri said.

He added, “Let me restate the call on our people to join me in the task of correcting the ills of the past. In doing so, we shall not hesitate to step on toes where public interests have been compromised.

“As a corrective government popularly elected by the people, we will not hesitate to step on toes in the interest and advancement of the public good.”

Earlier during the submission of the committee’s final report, Chairman of the Adamawa Transition Committee, Aliyu Isma’la Numan, had said the combined total debt that accrued over the last four years in the state stood at N115 billion.”

Specifying, he said N97 billion of the total is owed by the state, comprising outstanding external and domestic loans of N55.5 billion, outstanding contractor claims of N22.3 billion, arrears of pensions and gratuity and death benefit of N16.4 billion, and salary arrears and other staff claims of N2.7 billion; while the local government councils owe N18 billion.

The transition committee chairman further clarified, during an interaction with newsmen after the event, that the total debt was computed by the committee as at March this year.