By Ayomide Otitoju
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has ordered the immediate freezing of all state-owned bank accounts until further notice, directing strict compliance from commercial banks, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The directive was announced on Thursday in a statement issued by Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
The Governor warned that any official, including heads of MDAs and civil servants, who disregards the order would face severe penalties. “All bank accounts across commercial banks have been frozen. Compliance is mandatory, and no funds should be withdrawn from government coffers until further notice,” the statement emphasized.
Governor Okpebholo also ordered the renaming of the Ministry of Roads and Bridges back to the Ministry of Works, criticizing the previous administration for maintaining the name despite a lack of bridge construction. The previous designation, introduced during former Governor Godwin Obaseki’s tenure, was deemed “absurd” by Okpebholo, who cited the absence of any bridge projects during that period.
“It’s ironic to call it the Ministry of Roads and Bridges when no bridge was constructed—not even a pedestrian bridge,” Okpebholo stated. He assured that further actions to review the previous administration’s policies would be taken in the best interest of the state.
