Lest We Forget
Daily Times
We inherited lean treasury - Onabanjo
November 28, 1979
from Gnayemi, Abeokuta
The civilian administration in Ogun State inherited a lean treasury when it took over power.This is apart from N123 million debt out of which N11 million accrued from land acquisition including cost of survey.
The State Governor, Chief Bisi Onabanjo, made this known in Abeokuta yesterday while acquainting legislators with the financial position of his government.
Chief Onabanjo, however, commended the last military administration in the state for its gallantry and patriotism by refraining from what he called "last minute contracts awards".
He disclosed that a liquid asset of N26.14 million was passed over to his government at its inception last October.
He then assured the legislators that his government would tap every available and imaginable financial resources to get necessary funds for the execution of its programmes.
The Governor referred particularly to education and health services which formed part of the four cardinal programmes planned for the state by the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
In enumerating the sources from which his government intended to generate funds to carry out its programmes Chief Onabanjo said tax collection machinery in the state would be improved upon. Others include the making of optimum use of statutory grants, bank loan, and giving encouragement to investors willing to establish business in the state. Chief Onabanjo added that the orientation of his government would be directed towards minimising all costs and optimising its resources.
"There is need to trim the spending pattern of the state government of all wastes because we cannot afford to have frills or cultivate over sophisticated tasks that our budgets cannot bear".
Speaking on the integrated rural development programme of his government, Chief Onabanjo said its ultimate aim was centred on the rehabilitation of all roads and the provision of electricity and portable water supply for the rural communities.
Big funeral planned in London
The Ghana Democratic Movement is organising a service of remembrance and purification in memory of the three former heads of state, Generals Afrifa, Akuffo, Acheampong, members of past governments, heroic officers and men of the Ghana armed forces and scores of Ghanaians who have died at the hands of the Rawlings' regime.Also to be remembered are three high court judges, Justices Agyepong, Sarkodee Addo and Mrs Cecilia Koranteng-Addo who were abducted and murdered barely three years ago by officials of Flt-Lt. Rawlings' government.
The service is scheduled for August 3, at Tufnell Park Hostel, Huddleston Road off Tufnell Park Road, N7 from 4-6pm. It will be followed immediately at the same venue by a traditional mourning ceremony.
Ghanaian lovers of freedom and their friends are invited to mourn the dead and pray for the beleaguered nation.
