President Muhammadu Buhari has
accused the national assembly of inflating the debt of the federal government
to states.
The national assembly had
approved the refund of N488.7 billion to state governments for projects they
executed on behalf of the federal government.
But in a letter read on the floor
of the upper legislative chamber by Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday,
Buhari said while the federal executive council (FEC) approved
N487,842,888,574.74, the national assembly approved N488,743,526,204.77.
The president said the assembly
approved “N890,537,630,03 higher than the amount approved by FEC.”
“You may wish to refer to the
letter from the national assembly REF:NASS/CNA/106/Vol.10/277 dated 27 th of
July 2018 which communicated the approval by the national assembly of the
promissory note programme and a bond issuance to settle inherited local debts
and contractual obligations on refund to state governments on projects executed
on behalf of the federal government in the sum of N488,743,526,204.77,” he
said.
“The senate may wish to know that
in view of the approval by the national assembly, the following were observed:
“While the federal executive
council (FEC) approved the total of N487,842,888,574.74 only, as reimbursement
to the state governments, the national assembly approved N488,743,526,204.77,
implying that the amount approved by the national assembly was N890,537,630,03
higher than the amount approved by FEC.
“While FEC approved reimbursement
to 25 states, national assembly approved reimbursement to 21 states.
“National assembly did not
approve any reimbursement for four states; Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba
whereas the FEC had approved reimbursement for them.”
The president said the amount
approved by the national assembly for reimbursement for 21 states is higher
than the amount approved by FEC for 25 states.
He said the amount presented to
the national assembly by was duly approved by FEC.
“Furthermore, I wish to request
for review of the reimbursement earlier submitted in favour of Bauchi, Delta,
Kogi and Taraba Sates. Meanwhile, the federal government shall proceed with the
implementation on the following basis: Where the amount approved by the
National Assembly is the same as the amount approved by FEC, the jointly
approved amount will be reimbursed,” Buhari said.
“The states ate Adamawa, Jigawa,
Kano and Niger. Where the amount approved by the National Assembly is higher
than the amount approved by FEC, the amount approved by FEC will be reimbursed.
“The states are Akwa Ibom,
Anambra, Ebonyi, Benue, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kwara, Lagos, Ondo,
Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau and Zamfara and where no amount is approved by
national assembly, no reimbursement will be made. The afftected states are
Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba.”
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