Senate Considers Buhari’s Request for N9.6bn Refund to Plateau, Borno

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Wednesday, asked the Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Loans to consider a request of President Muhammadu Buhari seeking parliamentary approval for the refund of N9.68 billion spent by the Borno and Plateau States on behalf of the federal government.

Buhari is seeking the approval of the Senate to refund  N9.68 billion as promissory notes to Plateau and Borno States.

The president, in the letter read at plenary by Lawan, said the money was the reimbursement for funds expended on the execution of federal road projects in the states.

Buhari’s letter noted that though the Executive had for a long time, put a stop to such interventions, it however explained that the projects in question were executed before the declaration.

Plateau State, according to the letter, would be entitled to about N 6.6 billion, while

Borno State will have a total of about  N3.84 billion in respect of the federal roads rehabilitated and executed by the state governments.

Lawan urged the Senate panel chaired by Senator Clifford Ordia, to expedite action on the report and submit within four weeks.