Governor Atiku Bagudu says his administration is ready to defend the N6.7 billion spent on road construction in Kebbi before the Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts Management.

Abubakar Ladan, the Kebbi works and transport commissioner, disclosed this in Birnin Kebbi.

The Senate, on November 23, stepped down the request of the Kebbi government for the refund of N6.7 billion spent on federal roads in the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari had, in September, asked the Senate to approve the requests of the Kebbi, Yobe and Taraba governments for refunds for federal road projects they executed.

After considering the request, the Senate stepped down the request of the Kebbi government for the refund of N6.7 billion spent on federal roads in the state.

“The two chambers of the National Assembly wrote separate letters to the state government to forward to them all relevant documents regarding the construction of the two roads on September 27 by the Senate and on September 29 by the House of Representatives,” said the Kebbi commissioner.

He added, “Fifteen and thirty copies of the two-volume reports were forwarded to the Senate and House of Representatives respectively before the expiration of the deadlines given.”

According to the government’s statement, Kebbi was invited by the National Assembly on October 6 to meet with the Aids, Loans and Debt Management Committees of the two chambers.

“I led a four-member committee to the National Assembly. We were first attended to by the House of Representatives, where we successfully presented our case, which later led to the approval of the reimbursement by the whole House,” explained the works and transport commissioner.

Mr Ladan further revealed that the Senate chairman of the committee “directed us to meet with the clerk/secretary of the committee,” and “positive” discussions took place, and “we were told to wait for further directives in the coming days.” 

The commissioner also mentioned that he received a letter on October 13 “at about noon, telling us to appear before the Senate committee at 2:00 p.m.”

(NAN)