Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has ordered the immediate freezing of all state-owned bank accounts.
In an official statement issued on Thursday, Okpebholo emphasized that no withdrawals from government accounts would be allowed until the reconciliation process is completed.
The statement, delivered by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, further stressed the importance of compliance, with heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) instructed to ensure full adherence to the directive.
“All state bank accounts with commercial banks have been frozen. Commercial banks must comply with this order and ensure that not a single naira is withdrawn from government coffers until further notice,” the statement read.
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The governor also made it clear that any violations of the order, including by MDAs or civil servants, would lead to severe penalties.
The decision follows Okpebholo’s ongoing review of the state’s financial management practices.
The governor noted that, after necessary investigations, he would decide on appropriate actions and ensure that Edo’s financial system is more transparent and accountable.
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In another move, the governor directed relevant agencies to revert the Ministry of Roads and Bridges to its original designation as the Ministry of Works.
This decision rescinds a change made during the tenure of former Governor Godwin Obaseki. Okpebholo explained that the previous name was “odd,” given the lack of new bridge constructions during Obaseki’s administration.
“It is odd to name a government institution the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, especially when not a single bridge was built by the previous administration—not even a pedestrian bridge,” the statement stated.
