The Senate Wednesday stepped down request by Kebbi State Government for reimbursement from Federal Government on federal road project executed at the cost of N7billion the State.
This is as the Senate approved payment of N18.6billion for Yobe State and N2.4billion for Taraba State by the Federal Government on federal roads reconstructed by them.
Approval of the Senate for the reimbursements , was sequel to recommendations made to that effect by its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Clifford Ordia, had in a presented report, requested the Senate to approve monies being demanded for , by Yobe and Taraba State Governments but step down that of Kebbi State for not coming up with required proofs.
However after the plenary, two out of the three Senators from the State , namely, Senators Adamu Aliero ( Kebbi Central) and Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North), addressed the press to debunk insinuations that they were against the request of their state government for refund of N7b for road project it executed on behalf of the Federal Government.
They said they were “not opposed to Kebbi State Government (KBSG) getting the refund but expecting it to come up with required proofs.”
Specifically Senator Yahaya Abdullahi said, “we are here to clarify a report of Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loan that Aliero and objected to the refund to KBSG. That is far from the truth.
“KBSG did not come to defend their claim with relevant documents. That was why Kebbi’s was postponed.
“The Senate has directed that KBSG officials be re-invited to come and defend their claim in the next two weeks. We have no objection to KBSG getting the funds to repair the road”.
On his part, Adamu Aliero, former governor of the state said he constructed the road in 2005 and will be happy if KBSG had come to defend their claim and get the refund of N7 billion, which he described as “big money.
“Certainly if this money is refunded it will enhance the financial standing of the State. We will do whatever is humanly possible to ensure that we get the money but due process must be followed, that is all my concern”.
Earlier in his remarks , the Senate President Ahmed Lawan, urged the Kebbi State Government through the senators to come and defend the request because the senate cannot just approve it without going through the defense process.
“I want to take this opportunity to request from all of us whether a state or federal we are serving the people. So it is necessary that the State governments should engage the senators because they represent the state here,” he said.
