Akwa Ibom State Govt. demands refund of N140bn from FG

The Akwa Ibom Government has renewed its appeal to the Federal Government to refund the N140 billion it had spent on repair of federal roads in the state.

The State Governor, renewed the appeal on Friday while speaking to Government House Correspondents at Ibom International Airport on arrival from official assignment in Abuja.

Emmanuel said that the refund was necessary to help the state government to add value to its infrastructure consolidation programme now that the dry season was at hand.

The governor said that he would appreciate if the Federal Government would reimburse at least 50 per cent of this amount to the state.

Emmanuel said that he was in Abuja to attend the National Economic Council meeting as well as the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

He said that the National Economic Council and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum meetings were successful as far reaching decisions that would ginger the country’s development were taken.

The governor commended the Federal Government for granting approval for the Central Bank to introduce the Anchor Borrowers Scheme to assist farmers in the country.

He said that the scheme had assisted the state in the commencement of cocoa production and other agricultural projects.

Emmanuel said that the state was poised to key into the agricultural programmes of the Federal Government to ensure wealth creation and food sufficiency in the country.

“We should thank President Muhammadu Buhari who has given approval for the Central Bank to fund the Anchor Borrowers Scheme which the states have benefitted,” Emmanuel said.

He, however, expressed regret that the power sector was in dire need of attention and called on the Federal Government to intervene and save power distribution from imminent collapse.

“There is the need to intervene especially in the area of transmission. States like ours are able to generate, but cannot transmit. It’s a problem,” Emmanuel said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akwa Ibom is currently generating 190 megawatts of electricity from its Ibom Power Plant in Ikot Abasi Local Government area.