Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike has said the federal government has assured government and people of the state it will effect a refund of monies expended on federal projects in the state.
The governor led the Federal Executive Council Verification Team on a tour of listed projects in the state on Monday.
Addressing journalists after embarking on the verification of federal road projects executed by the Rivers state government on behalf of the federal government, Minister of State for Education, Hon Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said the Buhari administration will always abide by set rules.
He said: “The federal government has always cooperated with the people of Rivers state. Rivers state is the strongest economic base of the country and anything that the government will do for the government and people of Rivers state, government will respond accordingly.
“The President is a stickler to the rules. We have addressed this everywhere, except for five states that we are now verifying. No state has had an issue. “
The minister said the Rivers state government over the years did a splendid work in the construction of key projects in the state.
“Terrific work has been done by the government and people of Rivers state on behalf of the federal government. The governor has taken us on extensive review of more than the six projects that we came to inspect,” he said.
In an interview with journalists after the Joint Verification Exercise, Wike said he was confident that the federal government will effect a refund.
He said: “The minister has come with his team and I believe they will refund us the funds expended on the road.
“We have made submissions for refund, but we are yet to receive any refund from the federal government. I believe this last verification will come to fruition. I have confidence that they will refund us the money expended on federal projects.”
Governor Wike said if the federal government fails to effect the refund as promised, the Rivers state government will raise an alarm.
“If they don’t refund , we will raise the alarm and tell the world to help us ask, we are being denied the refund.
“Now we are talking of governance and we need these funds to do more projects for our people. He has given us assurance that the federal government will effect a refund this time around”, he said.
