Kogi Governor
Bello
Buhari seeks
Kogi Governor
Bello
Buhari seeks N’Assembly’s approval for N10.06bn refund
to Kogi Govt
The Senate on Tuesday received a request from President
Muhammadu Buhari for an approval to pay Kogi State Government
N10.069 billion being refund of money spent by the state on behalf
of Federal government.
The request was contained in a letter dated 10th October, 2019
and read by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan,
during plenary.
The requested amount is for the settlement of inherited local
debts and contractual obligations of the Federal Government to the
State for projects executed on behalf of the Federal
Government.
President Buhari recalled that 24 out of 25 State Governments
had received the approval of the National Assembly for the
settlement of claims on projects executed on behalf of the Federal
Government.
He added that the sum of N10.069 billion is outstanding amount
due to Kogi State Government which is the only State yet to receive
a refund.
The letter reads: “The Distinguished Senate President would
recall that, based on my request for the Resolution of the National
Assembly approving the establishment of a promissory note programme
and a Bond Issuance to settle inherited Local Debts and Contractual
Obligations of the Federal Government, the 8th National Assembly
passed Resolutions approving the Issuance of Promissory Notes to
refund State Governments for projects executed on behalf of the
Federal Government.
“The Resolutions of the 8th Assembly were conveyed through three
different letters from the Clerk of the National Assembly as
follows: Letter dated July 27, 2018 and referenced
NASS/CAN/106/Vol.10/277 which approved the Issuance of Promissory
notes to 21 states.
“Letter dated January 29, 2019 and referenced
NASS/CAN/106/Vol.11/004 which approved the Issuance of Promissory
Notes to Delta and Taraba States; and letter dated May 23, 2019 and
referenced NASS/CAN/106/Vol.11/164 which approved the Issuance of
Promissory Notes to Bauchi State.”
“The three Resolutions approved the Issuance of Promissory Notes
to 24 out of the 25 State Governments requested, and the only State
for which approval has not been given is Kogi State, with an
outstanding claim of N10,069,692,410.15 (Ten billion, Sixty-Nine
million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Two thousand, Four Hundred and Ten
Naira, Fifteen Kobo).
“The Senate may wish to note that, subsequent to Resolutions of
the National Assembly approving the refunds to the 24 State
Governments, the Federal Government has issued Promissory Notes to
all the approved States for the settlement of their claims.
“Accordingly, the Senate is hereby requested to kindly approve,
the Issuance of a Promissory Note in the sum of N10, 069,692,410.15
as refund to Kogi State Government for Projects executed on behalf
of the Federal Government.”
The Senate President referred President Buhari’s request to the
Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts for further legislative
work.
Signed:
Ezrel Tabiowo
Special Assistant (Press)
to President of the Senate