Categories: News

Obaseki Replies Finance Minister, Insists FG Printed N60bn

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has lambasted the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, for denying that the Federal Government (FG) printed N60 billion in March to support allocation to states.
The governor, in a string of tweets while reacting to the denial by Zainab on Thursday, tackled the Minister for “playing the Ostrich”.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has lambasted the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, for denying that the Federal Government (FG) printed N60 billion in March to support allocation to states.

Obaseki had last week averred that the Federal Government printed about N60 billion for states to share in March.

But the Finance Minister while speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, said Obaseki’s claim was not factual, saying “the issue that was raised by the Edo State Governor, for me, is very sad because it is not a fact”.

However, the governor, in a string of tweets while reacting to the denial by Zainab on Thursday, tackled the Minister for “playing the Ostrich”.

He said, “While we do not want to join issues with the Federal Ministry of Finance, we believe it is our duty to offer useful advice for the benefit of our country.

“The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, should rally Nigerians to stem the obvious fiscal slide facing our country.

“Rather than play the Ostrich, we urge the government to take urgent steps to end the current monetary rascality, so as to prevent the prevailing economic challenge from degenerating further.

“We believe it is imperative to approach the Nigerian project with all sense of responsibility and commitment and not play to the gallery because ultimately, time shall be the judge of us all,” Obaseki stated.