Anambra Releases More Details On Alleged N473m Arrears To Counter Obi’s ‘No Debt Claim’

A 2024 Anambra State Government memo approving N473 million to settle salary arrears owed to former workers and pensioners of two defunct state agencies has raised fresh questions over former Governor Peter Obi’s claim about the state’s financial position when he left office.

The memo shared by Anambra State New Media on X formerly Twitter on Thursday September 24 and signed by the then Head of Service, Lady Theodora Okwy Igwegbe, sought approval for the release of N473 million as the first tranche of payments to the next of kin, staff and pensioners of the defunct Anambra State Water Corporation (ANSWC) and Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA).

It stated that the dispute over the unpaid obligations had lasted 14 years and followed an out-of-court settlement involving the state government and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).

According to the memo, Article 7 of the settlement provided for an initial payment of N473 million in 2024, with a balance of N500 million to be addressed subsequently.

The document also stated that AUPCTRE had agreed to release N473 million garnished from a Fidelity Bank account belonging to the Anambra State Statutory Revenue Allocation (SRA), subject to the payment being processed through the state payroll system.

The approval was subsequently endorsed, with instructions for the Acting Director of Accounts to forward the approval to the Accountant-General for implementation.

The document provides evidence of a substantial salary-related liability involving state-owned agencies that remained unresolved for years after Obi left office in 2014.

However, the memo does not, on its own, establish that the entire N473 million accrued during Obi’s tenure. Determining when the individual salary and pension obligations arose would require payroll, financial and settlement records covering the relevant years.

The document nevertheless adds another layer to the debate over Obi’s record in Anambra, particularly claims concerning the liabilities inherited or left behind by his administration.

It also highlights the difficulty of assessing the state’s financial position solely from claims about debt without examining outstanding salaries, pensions, contractual obligations, court settlements and other contingent liabilities.

The N473 million approval therefore provides a documented example of a financial obligation that remained unresolved for years and was eventually addressed by a subsequent administration.