Expending Nasarawa’s N9.75bn, $15.7m Monetary Windfalls 

Recently the governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, revealed  how he intends to expend the state’s monetary windfalls, consisting of N9.75 billion and $15.7 million, from the federal government. Igbawase Ukumba reports

When receiving his deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, alongside members of the State Executive Council on a traditional Sallah homage at his Gudi Station country home, Governor Abdullahi Sule revealed that his administration has accessed monetary windfalls consisting of N9.75 billion and $15.7 million from the federal government.

An overview of the monetary windfalls indicated that the N9.75 billion was a refund from the federal government as money spent by the Nasarawa State government for the building of the Lafia airport.

On the other hand, the $15.7 million States Fiscal Transpersncy, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) fund was also accrued to the state from the federal government as an encouragement to the state’s fight against corruption and enhancing of transparency in the use of public funds in the state.

The SFTAS fund, which serves as encouragement to state governments fighting corruption and enhancing transparency in the use of public funds, saw Nasarawa State beaten many other states to deserve such a stupendous windfall. The programme, which is being sponsored by the World Bank, focuses on strengthening the fiscal sustainability, transparency and accountability among the 36 states of the country.

It is worthy of note that Nasarawa received the $15.7 million SFTAS fund as a result of the state’s fiscal transparency and accountability through improved quality, timeliness and transparency of annual budget, including public consultation/citizen engagement towards enhancing budget credibility.

It also included the state’s timely preparation and publication of annual state audited financial statements and quarterly implementation reports, as well as enhanced accountability of funds in COVID-19 response and resilient recovery.

Nevertheless, when President Muhammadu Buhari landed at the Lafia Airport on a two-day working visit to Nasarawa State in February, 2022, he was elated that he has a personality that was working with the philosophy of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Buhari said: “I have reassured myself that we have a personality who is working in line with the philosophy of our great political party (APC). And I have the privilege to commission the airport in order to open up a vista of economic activities between the state, Nigeria and the outside world.”

This was even as the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had told the president at a gala night in Lafia, during the two-day working visit, that “the governor of Nasarawa State, as you have seen today, is taking steps right behind you by receiving very good tutolage in the areas where I superintendend as a minister in civil aviation. Because of the activities of some governors and that of your government, aviation has taken centre stage for the creation of wealth and collective national prosperity.”

Sirika continued that in the first four years of the administration of President Buhari, the aviation industry increased passenger numbers from eight million to 18 million. A situation the minister said It has never happened in Africa.

And in President Buhari’s second term within the first one year, the aviation minister disclosed that passenger numbers was increased to 20 million and aviation became the fastest growing sector in Nigeria economy at that time before COVID-19 set in.

“Mr President, even with COVID-19, aviation is the third fastest growing economy in Nigeria today because airports are being built, such infrastructure of airline are being created and other such infrastructure that crystallise the economy are happening under your watch.

“So, Mr President, in Nasarawa, the governor in his wisdom, has queued to the aviation industry to improve the economy of the state with your inauguration of the Lafia Cargo Airport built by the Nasarawa State governor,” Sirika maintained.

Perhaps, when inspecting the ongoing contruction of the Lafia Airport, in company of Governor Abdullahi Sule – then governor-elect for the state, the outgoing governor of the state, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, stated that his political transition process in Nasarawa State was unique because it has been elevated to go beyond more than a mere handover of documents, to the actual physical inspection of projects being undertaken by his government.     

In his swift response, Governor Sule had commended the exactitude and openness of his immediate predecessor, Al-Makura, and affirmed that the physical inspection of projects was a key ingredient and attribute of transparency and accountability in leadership.

This was even as Sule confessed that his travel to more than 150 airports in the world, the physical structure, design, landscape and top notch aeronautical facilities acquired by Al-Makura attested to the fact that the Lafia Airport was being built to become one of the best in the world, when completed.

Be that as it may, following concerted attempts by the administration of Abdullahi Sule to find use for the completed Lafia Airport, the efforts finally paid off with President Buhari announcing the decision by the federal government to take over the facility. Not only that, the federal government has agreed to fully compensate the state for the money expended in building the airport.

Governor Sule broke the cheering news to people of the state when he played host to elders of Alago Nation, one of the ethnic groups in the state, at the Government House, Lafia, announcing the federal government decision, saying the federal government was willing to take over the airport and compensate the state of the money spent accordingly.

The project, which was started in 2015 by the administration of Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and completed by Governor Sule, was commissioned by President Buhari in February, 2022. It was, however, reported that the state had spent about N10 billion for the completion of the airport.

Therefore, if fully operational, it is expected that the airport will increase the revenue profile of the state, attracts more investments, boost commercial activities, create job opportunities to youths and women, and will improve the economy and living condition of the people.

Similarly, receiving his deputy and members of the State Executive Council on a Sallah traditional homage at his Gudi Station country home, Governor Sule explained to them on how his administration would expend the monetary windfalls consisting of N9.75bn refund from the federal government as money spent by the state for the building of the Lafia airport, as well as $15.7 million SFTAS fund accrued to the state.

According to the Governor, “the monies will be used in building critical infrastructure such as roads and markets, particularly the completion of the Kwandere – Marke bypass started by the administration of Senator Tanko Al-Makura. Other roads to be constructed from these funds, Sule added to include the Keffi road dualization, which was previously stopped for lack of funds, as well as the Adudu – Azara road.”

This was even as he continued that part of the monies would also be expended in completing ongoing projects in Lafia, Akwanga and Doma Local Goverment Areas and the construction of a new market in the headquarters of Nasarawa Local Government Area. He, however, disclosed that already he had met with the contractor handling the Kwandere – Marte road with a view to reviewing the project in order to cut cost, following which it was agreed to reduce the length of the road.

He pointed out: “Unlike previous times, when consultants were hired to retrieve such funds on behalf of the state government, no such consultants will be hired by my administration. All the money will be judiciously utilized as I promised President Muhammadu Buhari, after the President agreed to take over the Lafia airport to be converted into a security airport by the federal government.

“Every penny in this money, I want to be able to account for it. I want to say this is where I spent the money. I am not giving any consultant to collect this money for me. I am doing it myself. I am the consultant. I promise you, A. A Sule will not take one penny out of that money. It’s not my plan, not my wish. I don’t have any need for it. It’s not my dream. I was not brought up that way. I am not going to do that. We will spend it the way it’s supposed to be spent, for the good of the people of Nasarawa State,” he assured.

On the SFTAS fund, which serves as encouragement to state governments fighting corruption and enhancing transparency in the use of public funds, Governor Sule was elated that Nasarawa State beat many other states to deserve such stupendous windfall. Hence, he said he was not afraid to disclose the amounts accrued to the state from the windfalls because his administration had nothing to hide. “One thing that will not happen is that we will not take this money and give it to someone maybe because we like your face. It will be open. You go to the Accountant General and take this money and spend. Once we finished four or eight years, you will come and look at our records and you will see it clearly defined,” Governor Sule maintained