Kwara denies receiving N9 billion Paris Club loan refund

The Kwara government has described as outright falsehood media reports that it received N9 billion from the Federal Government as London-Paris loan refund.

The Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, said the state instead got N5 billion and was expecting a balance of N3.7 billion.

He noted that efforts were ongoing to facilitate the release by the Federal Ministry of Finance, adding that the 36 states were to receive 25 per cent of their claims.

The Senior Special Assistant (Media and Communication) to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said his principal was personally coordinating efforts to secure the balance as he had visited Abuja a number of times to meet with the relevant authorities on the issue.

He assured the citizens that once the fund was available, the governor would approve the share of local councils to enable them meet their financial obligations to workers and pensioners.

The media aide recalled that N1.4 billion of the N5 billion first instalment was disbursed to the councils for payment of November and December salaries with an additional N892 million released to offset arrears of tertiary institutions in the state.