***Approves N21b for Yobe, Taraba
Two senators from Kebbi State Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) and Abdullahi Yahaya (Kebbi North) have debunked 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.
While clarifying issues that arose at the senate during a debate on the report by senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts on Promissory note programme and refund to Taraba, Yobe and Kebbi States Governments for project executed on behalf of the Federal Government, they said they would be happy for kebbi to get the refund if due process is followed
The Senate had resolved to step down the request of the Kebbi State Government as it failed to appear before the senate Committee on Foreign and Local debts to defend its claims in respect of the projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government for which it was seeking refund
The upper legislative chamber again gave the Kebbi government two weeks to come and defend their claims on the project executed on behalf of the Federal Government
The upper legislative chamber however approved the Promissory Note Programme and Bond Issuance to settle outstanding claims and liabilities of Taraba to the tune of ¥18,663,843,119.39 and Yobe State N2,470,525,729.54 totalling 21,134,368,848.93 for the two states.
The report of the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts had triggered the heated debate on why Kebbi was left out.
Senator Ordia Clifford (Edo Central), Chairman of the Committee presented the report at Senate plenary Wednesday which alleged that two senators from Kebbi state were opposed to refund to the state government
Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) and Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North) while jointly addressing journalists at the National Assembly said they were “not opposed to Kebbi State Government (KBSG) getting the refund”, adding none of them is member of the committee.
The former Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi said “we are here to clarify a report of Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loan that Aliero and my humble self 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 request was postponed.
“The Senate has directed that KBSG officials be re-invited to come and defend their claims 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.
The Senate President Ahmed Lawan in his remarks urged the Kebbi State Government through the senators to come and defend the request because the senate cannot just approve the request 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.”
Lawan also urged the representatives of the State Government to meet the three senators when they come to be well guide by them so that Kebbi doesn’t lose this money.
“The committee will review the outstanding request by the Kebbi State Government as soon as it is able to defend its claims before the committee