FG urged to refund N350bn to states on federal roads repairs

THE National Economic Council, NEC, comprising the 36 states and the Federal Government, yesterday, rose from its first quarterly meeting of the year with a resolution that the central government refunds the over N350 billion that states expended on the repair of federal roads in their respective domain.
At the end of the meeting, the state governors successfully secured a commitment from the Federal Government to accelerate the verification and payment of claims regarding the rehabilitation of federal roads.
Addressing State House correspondents, Governors Theodore Orji (Abia), Olusegun Mimiko, (Ondo), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) with some of his colleagues explained that the NEC mandated the Federal Ministry of Works to liaise with the state governments towards ensuring the resolution of the matter.
The meeting resolved that while the process of verification is ongoing, state governments should not relent in maintaining the affected roads if so provided for in the agreements entered into with the federal government.
Governor Orji, said “a special provision is being made by the Federal Government to raise the money for the payment which stands at over N350 billion. To ensure proper maintenance of federal roads, states are encouraged to continue with routine maintenance of such roads provided they comply with new procedures for such intervention”, he said.
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