The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) has challenged the Anambra State government to publish a comprehensive record of the loans obtained by former Governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano, that are still being serviced by the Soludo administration.
Key Highlights
- CEHRAWS has challenged the Anambra State Government to publish a comprehensive record of loans obtained by previous administrations and still being repaid.
- The demand followed comments by the Anambra Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, that deductions are still being made from FAAC allocations to service inherited loans.
- CEHRAWS said claims about inherited debt should be supported by verifiable public records rather than political narratives.
- The group cited DMO records showing that Anambra had about ₦3.026 billion in domestic debt and US$30.324 million in external debt as of December 31, 2013.
- It said the figures alone do not prove that all loans currently being serviced were contracted under Peter Obi.
The demand follows recent comments by the Anambra State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Izuchukwu Okafor, who reportedly said deductions are still being made from the state’s Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations to service loans inherited from previous administrations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Executive Director, Chuka Okoye, CEHRAWS said that while it welcomes efforts to reduce public debt and promote fiscal responsibility, such claims should be supported by verifiable public records rather than political narratives.
The group argued that although records from the Debt Management Office (DMO) indicate that Anambra State had outstanding debt at the end of Peter Obi’s tenure, including domestic debt of about ₦3.026 billion and external debt of US$30.324 million as of December 31, 2013, that fact alone does not establish that every loan currently being serviced was contracted during Obi’s administration.
According to CEHRAWS, the state government should publish a facility-by-facility debt schedule identifying each loan, the date it was approved and drawn down, the lending institution, the original amount, its purpose, legislative approvals, repayment history, outstanding balance and the administration under which it was contracted.
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The organisation maintained that the same level of transparency should apply to loans contracted during the Obiano administration, as well as obligations inherited by the Soludo administration.
CEHRAWS further stressed that state debt should not be presented as the personal liability of any governor, noting that loans lawfully contracted by a state government remain obligations of the state, regardless of changes in administration.
The group cited constitutional provisions on legislative oversight of public funds and the auditing of state accounts, as well as the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, arguing that public borrowing must be lawful, traceable and accountable.
“CEHRAWS is also concerned about the timing of the government’s disclosure because this issue emerged during the political season ahead of the 2027 presidential election, in which Peter Obi is expected to remain a prominent contender.
“While we are not alleging partisan motives, we think the timing made public accountability questions inevitable, including why the government had not released a comprehensive historical debt register showing what each administration borrowed, inherited, repaid and left outstanding,” the group said.
The group also pointed to the DMO figures showing that Anambra State’s domestic debt stood at about ₦28.685 billion as of December 31, 2024, saying this underscored the need to distinguish historical debt figures from specific loan facilities currently being discussed.
It urged the Anambra State government to publish a consolidated debt and borrowing accountability statement covering the administrations of Peter Obi, Willie Obiano and Charles Soludo, detailing each loan, its purpose, lender, amount, approvals, disbursement records, repayment status and outstanding balance.
CEHRAWS also called on the Anambra State House of Assembly, theaAuditor-general of the state and other oversight institutions to independently scrutinise the records and reconcile government claims with the DMO data, audited financial statements, loan agreements, appropriation laws and FAAC deduction records.
The group insisted that its position is not in defence of any political figure but in support of the public’s right to know the financial obligations imposed on the state, declaring that “public debt is public business” and urging the government to “let the documents speak.”
