The Senate has rejected a request made by the Ministry of Works and Housing for $434.7 million in the borrowing plan of the Federal Government for the repair of roads in the country.
It was gathered that the $434.7million was part of the $569million Medium Term 2016-2018 External Borrowing (Rolling) plan already approved by the National Assembly.
The fund was meant to carry out emergency rehabilitation and maintenance of federal roads, including Gombe-Biu road, Calabar Urban-Ekan-Ajaso road, Owerri-Amaraku-Okigwe road, Mokwa-Pezi-Tegina-Kaduna road, Katsina-Gibiya-Niger Republic Border road.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Clifford Ordia, quickly responded that the $434.7 million had been approved and that there was no need for the committee to give a fresh approval.
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Ordia said, “Honourable Minister, it is good to be very precise in a situation like this. Like I have told you, as far as the National Assembly is concerned, that $434,700,000.00 has been approved by the National Assembly under the borrowing plan 2016 – 2018.
“I want to let you know that after that borrowing plan we have been able to access some money on the institutional strengthening and implementation of policy reforms and the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project Study.”
A member of the committee, Senator Francis Alimikhena, the ministry was meant to give an update on the work status of the road enlisted for the amount and not to come up with the same request.
