The Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, yesterday, ordered the freezing of all state-owned bank accounts with immediate effect, until further notice.
He also warned commercial banks, heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with the order immediately without any delays.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the Governor warned that anyone, including heads of MDAs and civil servants, who flout the order would be severely punished.
“All bank accounts in all the commercial banks have been frozen. Commercial banks must comply with the order and ensure that not a dime is taken out of the confers of Government until there is a further notice.
“Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies must comply with this order and ensure that there is a full compliance without any further delays.
“After the necessary investigations and reconciliations, the Governor will do the needful and decide on the way forward. For now, this order stands,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the Governor has asked the relevant government agencies to reverse the Ministry of Roads and Bridges to the Ministry of Works, adding that the reversed name was conceptualised during the administration of Godwin Obaseki.
According to him, since no bridges or good roads were constructed by the administration of Obaseki, it was therefore absurd to maintain such a name.
He, therefore, ordered relevant government agencies to implement the new order and immediately reflect the new name.
“It is funny how you can call a Government institution the Ministry of Roads and Bridges. Ironically, no single bridge was built by the same administration. Not even a pedestrian bridge.
Okpebholo, who spoke at his post swearing-in Thanksgiving Service held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State capital, where he urged Nigerians to trust in God alone irrespective of their challenges in life, said: “I want to thank God. In this last election, while I was praising God, they (traducers) were busy operating from television. They were busy operating from social media. They were busy operating from other television stations.”
He continued: “But, I took the battle to God because I knew the secret. A few days to the election, they said I was crazy. We gathered to praise God in this state. They asked: “What is he doing?” They were there on TV. But, I was listening to the voice of God. I won the battle.
“After the election on Sunday morning, I came to my room. I met a bat that had died on my bed, without me shooting any arrow. But, the spirit of God was there. The arrow of God; The hand of God delivered me.”
He disclosed that he did not consult any native doctor or prophet or visit any diviner or shrine to seek help for help throughout the period of his electioneering.
