The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to refund approximately ₦24 billion to Kebbi and Nasarawa state governments for the construction of two airports taken over by the Federal Government.
In a letter dated May 16, 2024, addressed to House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Tinubu requested the approval of refunds amounting to ₦15 billion for Kebbi State and ₦9 billion for Nasarawa State. This funding is earmarked for the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi and Lafia Cargo Airport, respectively. The letter emphasized that the Federal Executive Council approved the reimbursement through promissory notes during its meeting on May 23, 2023.
The approved refunds are ₦9.54 billion for Nasarawa State and ₦15.14 billion for Kebbi State. On Thursday, the House Committee of Supply reviewed and approved the report from the Chairman of the Committee on Aids, Loans, and Debts Management, Abubakar Nalaraba, formalizing the reimbursement based on claims from both state governments.
**World Bank Approves $500 Million Loan for Tinubu Government**
In another development, President Tinubu’s administration has secured a $500 million loan from the World Bank to support the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) initiative. This project aims to address challenges stemming from climate change.
Chakib Jenane, the Regional Director of Sustainable Infrastructure Development for West and Central Africa at the World Bank, announced the loan during a meeting with Prof. Joseph Utsev, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, in Abuja. Jenane noted that the SPIN project received approval from the World Bank’s Board on September 26 and is set to commence in January 2025.
The SPIN project aims to mitigate climate-related challenges such as floods and droughts by improving dam safety, enhancing water resource management, and expanding irrigation services. It is expected to benefit around 950,000 individuals, including farmers and livestock producers.
Jenane stressed the need for Nigeria to meet the remaining conditions for the project’s successful implementation by the January 2025 deadline. Additionally, the World Bank team provided updates on the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project, which is nearing completion, and the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) programme, which requires the involvement of additional states.
Utsev expressed gratitude to the World Bank for its ongoing support for Nigeria’s development, particularly in sustainable infrastructure and water resource management. He assured the delegation that the Nigerian government would allocate the necessary counterpart funding to ensure the effective execution of all World Bank-supported projects.
Dr. Bello Goronyo, the Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, also thanked the World Bank for endorsing the SPIN project and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring its success through cooperative efforts.
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