BREAKING: Gov Okpebholo Orders Freezing Of All State-owned Bank Accounts 

BREAKING: Gov Okpebholo Orders Freezing Of All State-owned Bank Accounts 

The Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has issued an immediate directive to freeze all state-owned accounts in commercial banks until further notice.

This decision has been communicated through a statement by Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, released to the public on Thursday in Benin City.

Commercial banks, as well as heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), have been strongly advised to act promptly in accordance with this directive.

Governor Okpebholo has emphasized the importance of strict compliance with this order and has warned of severe consequences for any individual, including heads of MDAs and civil servants, who fail to adhere to it. The freeze applies to all bank accounts held in commercial banks, with a clear instruction that no funds are to be accessed from government accounts until further instructions are issued.

“Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies must comply with this order and ensure 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,” he said.

Recall that the governor has made a decision to revert the name of the Ministry of Roads and Bridges back to the former Ministry of Works.

He highlighted that the previous name, introduced during the administration of Godwin Obaseki, did not align with the outcomes achieved as there were no significant bridge constructions or improvements in road infrastructure during that time.

As such, the governor has directed all relevant government entities to implement this name change without delay.

“It is funny how you can call a government institution the Ministry of Roads and Bridges. Ironically, not a single bridge was built by the same administration. Not even a pedestrian bridge.

“In the coming days, we will look at more actions taken by the previous administration, and more decisions will be made in the best interest of the state,” he added.