The Taraba State Government has accused the federal government of awarding a fresh contract for the reconstruction of a road that the state government has already constructed.
The state government made the accusation on Tuesday through a statement by its spokesperson, Bala Dan-Abu, saying the federal government has yet to reimburse it on its expenditure on the federal road.
The statement was in response to an announcement by the Federal Executive Council after its meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on October 27 that it had given the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) an approval to deploy its tax obligations to the construction of 21 roads across Nigeria.
Among the roads named in the arrangement by FEC is the Bali-Serti Federal road in Taraba State.
But the Taraba State Government said it “received with surprise news of the approval” for the award of contract for the road.
“Ordinarily, this development should be a thing of joy for the government and people of the state except that it has given the wrong impression about the present state of the road and the work already done on it by the Taraba State Government on behalf of the Federal Government,” the government statement said.
Mr Dan-Abu said the government “wishes to state categorically and for the avoidance of doubt, that this portion of the road (Bali-Serti totalling 115 Kilometres) leading to Gembu, had earlier been awarded to P.W Nigeria Ltd and reconstructed through the initiative and funding by the Taraba State Government.
“Only a few bridges on the road remain to be completely fixed. We also wish to remind the Federal Government that Taraba State is yet to be fully refunded the money it expended on this portion of the road project”.
Credit: premiumtimesng.com
