From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State government has explained that it has submitted 30 copies of the certified documents on the two Federal Government roads it’s seeking the refunding of N10.8billion expended on about eleven years ago.
Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Kebbi state, Alhaji Abubakar Chika Ladan,made this clarification while speaking with newsmen on the erroneous news circulating in some quarter’s about the role of the state government over the projects.
Ladan, disclosed that,the first federal government road project is Dabai- Mahuta-Koko road of 91km road constructed between 2006-2012 at the cost of N5,070,912,911.47 awarded by former governor of the state,Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero and completed y former Governor Saidu Nasamu Dakingari in 2011.
He said that the second road is Malado-Gari-Baka-Ngaski-Warra road of 42km constructed by the administration if Alhaji Saidu Usman Nasamu Dakingari at the cost of N2,200,918,185.78.
According to him, ” when this administration came in 2015,it discovered that the Federal government was reimbursing State governments for federal roads constructed by them in their domains. It ,therefore, in 2016 directed the then Commissioner of works,Alhaji Atiku Bunu, to contact Federal Ministry of Works to request for the refund on the above two roads and three others constructed by the administration of Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, all totaling N10.8b.
“Before then,there was records to show that the state government started engaging the federal government on the refund on Dabai -Mahuta-Koko as far back as 2011.
However,the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing could only approve the two roads for refund that were constructed before 2015 when the federal government ordered for the stoppage of construction of federal government roads by the state governments.
” That, the approval was granted on 4th August, 2020. The Ministry, thereafter, recommended for the refund of the cost of the construction of the two roads to the tune of N6.7b, to the federal executive council for approval. The approval was granted in 7th September, 2022″.
Ladan said that the present administration in the state in 2015 also awarded the rehabilitation of Dabai-Koko road,when it was observed it was failing at the cost of N258m.
He said,though, the state has not applied for its refund, as it was done after the embargo by the Federal government.
” The second issue raised was whether Kebbi State Government responded to the invitation of the National Assembly to defend its claims. Let me put it on record that the two chambers of the National Assembly wrote separate letters to the State Government to forward to them all relevant documents regarding the construction of the two roads; on the 27th September, 2022 by the Senate and on 29th September 2022 by the House of Representatives.
“15 and 30 copies of the two volume reports were forwarded to the Senate and House of Representatives respectively before the expiration of the deadlines given.
” On the 6th October 2022,the State was invited by the National Assembly to meet with the Aids,Loan and Debt Management Committees of the two chambers. I,as Commissioner of Works,led a four-man committee to Tue National Assembly. We were first attended to by the House of Representatives, where we successfully presented our case,which later led to the approval of the reimbursement by the whole house.
“At the Senate, the Chairman of the Committee directed us to meet with Clerk/ Secretary of the Committee. Some very positive discussions took place and were told to wait for further directives on the coming days.
” On the 13th October, 2022,while at Kebbi, I received a letter, through my WhatsApp, at about 12:00noon ,that we were required to appear before the Senate Committee at 2:00 pm. I called the Clerk/Secretary of the Committee and informed her that there was no way we could make it to Abuja within two hours and requested for another day”.
Ladan said, that was the last time he heard from the Senate only for him to hear the report emanated from the floor of the Senate,claimed that we “failed” to appear before the Committee.
“From the foregoing, it can be seen that the government of Kebbi State has been responsive to the request of the Committee and not ‘ irresponsible’ as claimed elsewhere”.
He added that, now that they have been given another chance and enough notice to appear before the Committee on Wednesday 30th November, 2022,” I wish on behalf of the Government and people of Kebbi State thank the Senate for its magnanimity and assures it of our full cooperation.
“Meanwhile, it should be noted that all our relevant documents are already with the Committee, as reported above”, he said.