The Plateau State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a strong rebuttal to recent statements made by the Plateau State Government regarding the state’s financial status. Over the weekend, the Secretary to the Government, Architect Samuel Jatau, announced that the Mutfwang administration is facing severe financial stress due to a substantial debt burden.
In a televised statement, Jatau revealed that the government spends ₦250 million monthly to service debts inherited from previous administrations. The APC, however, questions the timing and motive behind this revelation, suggesting it may be a strategic move to garner public sympathy and excuse the government’s perceived lack of performance over the past year.
The APC argues that the PDP was well aware of the state’s debt profile during their campaign, claiming they had solutions to improve the state’s financial situation. They further contend that the Mutfwang administration’s recent claims are inconsistent with previous reports.
The APC references the Debt Management Office (DMO), which reported that as of December 2023, Plateau State’s debt stood at ₦157.6 billion, contradicting the PDP’s assertion of inheriting ₦307 billion in liabilities from the previous administration. Furthermore, the APC highlights that under the PDP’s management, the state’s debt increased by ₦16.31 billion within six months, reaching ₦174.93 billion by December 2023.
The APC also notes that the Mutfwang administration has received significantly higher internal revenue and FAAC allocations compared to its predecessor. They report that the PDP government generated ₦10.8 billion in internal revenue and received ₦97.5 billion in FAAC allocations, compared to ₦34.1 billion collected by the Lalong administration.
In light of these figures, the APC finds the PDP’s claims of financial distress and debt burden management implausible and urges the public to scrutinize the government’s financial practices and outcomes.