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Contrary to claims by Ondo State House of Assembly that the N4.3 billion lodged in a secret account in a third-generation bank by the state government was spent without being appropriated, the state Commissioner of Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, on Sunday, said the money was appropriated for in the 2019 budget.
Speaking to newsmen in Akure, Akinterinwa, who was quizzed on the money at plenary of the Assembly last Thursday, described the allegation as mischievous and maintained that the state government took all legal and proper measures to ensure that the recovered fund was lodged in the coffers of the state.
According to him, due process was followed before spending the money. He said Governor Rotimi Akeredolu would not condone any act of illegality, adding that the money was properly appropriated for in the 2019 budget.
“The executive is not hiding anything as we have always said. The narrative set out by mischief makers is that there was no appropriation for the money in question. This is untrue.
“The 2019 appropriation passed by the Assembly included among others, this N4.3 billion under the overall summary of the budget, item on cash reserve/rollover fund is very apt and unambiguous for the public to confirm the truth. The story of non-appropriation is utterly mischievous.”
The state lawmakers had threatened a showdown with the state executives on how the N4.3 billion lodged in a secret account was spent without being
a showdown with the state government on how the N4.3b lodged in a secret account was spent without being appropriated.
The lawmakers had quizzed Akinterinwa over the money and equally invited the state Accountant General to appear before the House on Thursday.