Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has directed an immediate freeze on all state-owned bank accounts. This order, released Thursday by Chief Press Secretary Fred Itua, mandates that the freeze will remain until further notice.
The governor instructed all commercial banks, as well as heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), to adhere to the directive without delay. He emphasized that any official, including MDA heads and civil servants, who disregards the order will face strict penalties.
“All state bank accounts in commercial banks are now frozen,” the statement declared. “Banks must comply to ensure no funds are withdrawn from government coffers until further instructions. MDA heads must also enforce this immediately.”
The governor stated that a thorough investigation and reconciliation process would follow, after which further action would be determined.
In a related move, Governor Okpebholo ordered that the Ministry of Roads and Bridges be renamed back to its former designation, the Ministry of Works, a name change originally made under former Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration.
“It’s unconventional to name an institution the Ministry of Roads and Bridges when no bridge—not even a pedestrian bridge—was constructed by the previous administration,” the statement remarked. “In the coming days, we will assess additional actions taken by the previous administration to serve the state’s best interests.”
