Nigerian gov seeks refund of money spent on FG roads

The Taraba State Government has told the Federal Government to refund it for the money spent so far on federal roads across the state.

While making the appeal on Saturday, during a media parley in Jalingo, the state capital of Taraba State, the Commissioner of Works, Irimiya Hammanjulde, revealed that if the money, is refunded, will help in the completion of some of the ongoing projects in the state.

Some of the federal roads enumerated by the commissioner to have been done by the state government include the Jalingo-Kona Phase Two, Bali Serti 115 km road, Takum Katsina-Ala Road, Takum Chanchanji Road, and Mararaban Baissa-Abong 82 km road.

He also listed the dualization of the NYSC-Kpantinapu 18 km road, the extension of the Nukkai bridge as well as six pedestrian bridges, and a flyover.

But as a result of shortage of funds, as the commissioner made known, the government would have long embarked on the construction of street roads within Jalingo, the state capital.

The commissioner has faulted the decision of the Federal Government to re-award for construction the Bali-Serti-Gembu road, which he said the state government had already begun work on.

The commissioner wonders why the federal government would re-award the contract when the state government had already constructed 115km of the said road, such an act, he described as uncalled for.

He said, “As you all know, the Federal government re-awarded the Bali Serti Gembu road project which had been constructed by the state government.

“We have already completed the project and it’s already been put to use.”

He did not reveal the amount involved, but he however, admitted that the federal government had refunded some of the amount in question.