Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo has denied any form of involvement in budget padding in the state under his administration.
The Governor had been accused of padding project figures with as high as 300 percent of actual figures, Naija News understands.
However, reacting to the allegation, Soludo said it was political enemies trying to attack with cheap lies and propaganda.
He added that they are aggrieved because such people behind the lies no longer have access to loot government funds.
Governor Sludo added that despite the increasing cost of materials for project execution, his government will not compromise quality because it owes it to the people of Anambra.
The Governor said “For clarity, it is important we state that we are not oblivious of the diversionary antics of those whose lucrative criminal enterprise is being smoked out by the renewed fight against all forms of criminality in the State, housed in various camps and bushes perpetrating heinous crimes.
”Anambra no longer has free money to feed the greed of those whose source of livelihood is government money and patronage as a result of free oil money which sadly stopped while assuring that there will be value for every penny spent.
”The claims that the commissioner for works refused to appear before the House of Assembly to defend his ministry’s budget on June 29 is false.
”We owe it as a duty to Anambra to ensure that every penny of our borrowed funds is accounted for, and deployed to building quality infrastructure, and not for consumption.
”On the cost of the road per kilometer, it is funny that the unknown writer is using propaganda and deceit to hoodwink the unsuspecting public.
“How do you start talking about the cost of contracts for roads currently being designed and contracts not awarded, of course, people always judge others by their own standards.”
Soludo went further to highlight that in 2018 diesel was N120 per litre and a tonne of asphalt, N18,000 but currently, the cost of diesel and asphalt had risen to N850 per litre and N65,000 per tonne respectively.
He however assured that his administration remains focused and will continue to deliver quality projects.
“It is important that we place it on record for the purposes of our employers and to whom we are accountable, that the previous administrations awarded roads with the cost per kilometre varying from above N1 billion to a little over N200 million.
“It is also on record that none of our predecessors awarded any road for less than N200 million per km.
“Of course, one can even get a road for less than N1 million by spreading sand and lean asphalt on it to be washed away within one rainy season.
“The losers of the new order will continue to try desperate acts to fight back but we remain focused, during the dry season, Anambra will see the mass action on their roads and Anambra will continue to win,” he stated.
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