I don’t own a bullet-proof car – Edo state Governor, Obaseki

The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday said the reason why he is not using a bullet-proof car was because of paucity of funds in the state.

He said his administration was cutting down on the cost of governance in alignment with economic realities in Nigeria.

“I am the governor of Edo State. I am entitled to a brand new bullet-proof car, but I have not bought it because we cannot afford it,” Mr. Obaseki said when the state branch of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, ANAN, visited him at the Edo State Government House, Benin City.

Mr. Obaseki said he was using the official vehicle left behind by his predecessor.

The governor, who said he was avoiding ‘wasteful spending,’ added that his administration has contracted a lady mechanic who was refurbishing old government vehicles.

He also denied that the state government owed pensioners.

The governor called on the local government councils in the state to provide accounts of their income and expenditure profile for the past 10 years “to enable the pensioners understand how the local government money was spent.”

The state Chairman of ANAN, Felix Ahonsi, commended Mr. Obaseki on his effort towards human and infrastructural development in the state.

Mr. Ahonsi said ANAN was ready to collaborate with the government in the area of accounting, auditing, and training.