Categories: AFRICA

Five States to Get $389m as Nigerian Senate Approves President Buhari’s Refund Request

Muhammadu Buhari

The Nigerian Senate has approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to refund N148bn (about $389m) to five state governments for projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government.

The approval for the states, which include Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Osun, and Ondo followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts Chaired by Senator Clifford Ordia.

Ordia noted in his presentation that most of the federal highways in the beneficiary states where the said projects were executed “were at a deplorable state before the intervention of the state governments.”

“Series of visits were carried out by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on all Federal Roads completed by the States and ascertained that the quality of work done met the required standard.”

Ordia, however, noted that states like Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa and Ondo States embarked on the highway projects execution as far back as 2005 till date.

He added that while the state governments have completed all projects, as well as paid all contractors, the Federal Bureau of Procurement on its part certified that due process was followed accordingly.

By Abel Ejikeme