Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has mandated an immediate freeze on all state-owned bank accounts, according to a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, on Thursday. The accounts will remain inaccessible until further notice, with Okpebholo cautioning that any disregard for the directive by commercial banks or state officials, including heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), will incur severe penalties.
“All state bank accounts held with commercial banks are hereby frozen. No funds are to be withdrawn from government accounts,” the statement declared. Okpebholo emphasized that MDAs must strictly adhere to the directive, warning that civil servants and heads of MDAs who defy the order will face strict consequences.
The governor also instructed the reversion of the “Ministry of Roads and Bridges” to its previous title, the “Ministry of Works,” a change introduced by former Governor Godwin Obaseki. Okpebholo questioned the renaming, particularly as he claimed that no significant bridges had been constructed under the previous administration.
In closing, the governor expressed his intent to assess other actions taken by the former administration, prioritizing adjustments that will best serve Edo State’s interests.
