By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo
A civil society organisation, Open Forum for Humanity Organization, has called on Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno to clarify the status of $6.2 million reportedly received by the state under the World Bank-supported State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme.The organisation’s Founder and President, Mathew Okono, made the call in a statement issued in Uyo, following comments by Eno describing the funding as a reward for accountability, transparency and good governance.
Okono said the governor’s description appeared inconsistent with information contained in publicly available documents, which he said indicated that the funding was part of a $750 million World Bank-supported programme for Nigeria.
According to him, the funds are performance-based and provided on concessional terms, with states accessing them after meeting specified reform targets. He argued that the arrangement should therefore not be described as an outright grant without further clarification.
The organisation urged the governor to state whether the $6.2 million was a grant, loan or hybrid facility, as well as disclose the amount received, repayment terms and performance indicators that qualified the state.It said clearer information would help citizens and the state legislature understand the state’s fiscal obligations and assess how the funds were being used.
The group also disputed claims that the Eno administration had not borrowed, citing figures from reports referenced by Policy Alert, another civil society organisation, which it said recorded a N1.204 billion loan facility in 2023. The organisation, however, commended Eno for addressing inherited financial obligations, including pension and gratuity arrears, and urged his administration to sustain efforts to improve the welfare of retirees.
