Senate Approves N6.7bn As Refund To Kebbi For Road Repairs

 

The Senate has approved a payment of N6.7 billion to the Kebbi State Government as a refund for repairs carried out on Nigerian Government roads in the state.

This followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts at Thursday’s plenary.

The report was on “Promissory note and bond issuance as a refund to Kebbi State government for projects executed on behalf of the Nigerian government.”

The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Clifford Ordia while presenting the report, said that the committee recommended N6.706 billion as promissory note and bond issuance.

He said that “the amount was to settle outstanding claims and liabilities of the Kebbi government.’

Ordia said that “the Senate had on Sept. 21, 2022, considered the report of the President on the “Establishment of a Promissory Note Programme and a Bond Issuance” as a refund to Kebbi and Yobe states.”

“It was for projects executed on behalf of the federal government.

“The report was referred to the committee for further legislative action,” he said.

Ordia said that the promissory note programme and bond issuance was a financial instrument to clear the Nigerian government’s debt to other governmental and non-governmental bodies in various sectors of the economy.

“Specifically, this promissory note and bond issuance are designed to make refunds to three state governments for projects executed on behalf of the federal government in the aforementioned states.

“The communication has contained a request for approval of N18.6 billion for the Yobe Government, N2.47 billion for the Taraba Government and N6.7 billion for the Kebbi State Government.

“It will be recalled that the committee noted that it would resume the consideration of the outstanding request in respect of Kebbi as soon as possible.

“Subsequently, on Nov. 23, 2022, the Senate considered the committee’s report on the promissory note programme for Taraba and Yobe for projects executed on behalf of the federal government.

“The upper chamber then mandated the committee to re-invite the Kebbi government to defend its claim before the committee within two weeks,” Ordia explained.

He said that the committee found out that the Kebbi government completed all the projects for which it sought for refund.

The findings he said are:

“That the roads were constructed in line with the contract specifications and can stand the test of time.

“The projects were executed between 2006 and 2012 and are federal roads.

“That series of inspection visits were carried out by the Ministry of Works and Housing on the federal roads completed in the state and it ascertained that the level of work had met the required standard.

“That the state government had paid all the contractors that executed the projects.

“That the promised amount due for reimbursement to the Kebbi State Government and reviewed by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) is N6,706,835,495.12 for the execution of federal roads.

“That BPP had attained and classified that due process was followed accordingly.”

Meanwhile, the 9th Senate had adjourned until Saturday for a valedictory session.

 

 

NAN/ Mercy Chukwudiebere