Infrastructure: Enugu appeals to FG for refund of funds

GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has appealed to the Federal Government to refund N22billion he spent on reconstruction and rehabilitation of some Federal roads in the state.Ugwuanyi also applauded the bold and timely initiative of the federal government to provide states with bailout funds to address developmental issues.

The governor said the N4.207billion bailout fund his administration received for the purposes of liquidating outstanding pensions and subvention to parastatals, agencies and departments had been judiciously utilized by the state government.

Ugwuanyi stated this on Wednesday when he received members of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Administration led by its Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Gumel, who paid him a courtesy visit in Enugu.

The governor noted that the function of the lawmakers was a very important assignment that promotes accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.

He told the lawmakers that the state “applied for bailout funds from the Federal Government totaling N40.9 billion”, “out of this sum however, we received only N4.207billion to be used for the liquidation of outstanding pensions and subvention to parastatals, agencies and departments”.

“Distinguished Senators, I am happy to announce that we successfully utilized the funds for the stated purposes, as you would confirm from the records (to be) made available to you by the State Ministry of Finance.

“You will also be furnished with the details of how we applied other funds released to the State by the Federal Government within the life of this administration,”

Governor Ugwuanyi however, urged the Committee to help make a case for the release of more resources to states to enable them address their peculiar challenges adequately.

Earlier in his speech, Senator Gumel thanked the governor for the audience and applauded his administration’s giant strides in the state, especially in the areas of good governance, infrastructural development and payment of workers’ salaries.

He explained that the visit was in furtherance of their legislative oversight duties to ensure transparency and accountability.