Reps approve N16.7b road repair refund for Borno

The House of Representatives has approved refund of about N16.772 billion to Borno State government for projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government.

Recall that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved a refund of N16.7 billion to the state government for federal road projects it executed.

The House approved the refund in form of issuance of promissory notes to the state, following a report from its Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management.

The Senate had earlier approved the refund.

The House Chairman of the committee, Ahmed Dayyabu, said the committee discovered that all projects listed by the state government were actually executed.

He said that Borno State government began construction of federal roads in 2014, adding that out of the roads, only the Damboa-Chibok-Mbalala (30Km) Road Phase I was eligible for reimbursement as it was awarded before the President’s directive of July 29, 2016, which suspended assessment of requests for refund on projects carried out without the Federal Government approval.

He added that the other three projects, Damboa-Chibok-Mbalala Road Phase II, Flyover Bridge at Custom Roundabout, Maiduguri, and Dualisation of the Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gamboru/Ngala Road from Custom Area to Muwa Welcome Gate, awarded by the state government after the President’s directive, were approved upon compassionate appeal by the state government.