The President is seeking the House’s approval to refund over N24 billion to the Kebbi State Government and to Nasarawa State Government.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, wrote to the House of Representatives seeking concurrent approval for the Federal Government to refund the total sum of N24bn to Nasarawa and Kebbi State governments respectively for the takeover of the airports built by the two states.
The President’s request was contained in a correspondence addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas and read on the floor of the House during plenary by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu.
The President is seeking the House’s approval to refund over N15 billion to the Kebbi State Government and N9bn to Nasarawa State Government.
Kebbi State had earlier spent the money to construct the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, while the Nasarawa State Government spent N9bn for the construction of the Lafia Cargo Airport, Nasarawa.
READ ALSO: Approve N15bn, N9bn reimbursement to states for Airport construction – Tinubu to Senate
The letter read as follows “Aviation, including airports, safety of aircraft, and carriage of passengers and goods by air” were under the control of the Federal Government as provided in the 1999 Constitution (As amended).”
The letter read, “Establishment of a promissory note programme in favour of the Kebbi and Nasarawa State governments for the reimbursement of the respective costs of the construction of newly built airports in those states that have been taken over by the federal government.
“The House of Representatives is invited to note that at the Executive Council meeting of the Federal Executive Council FEC, which was held on the 23rd day of May 2023, it was approved as follows:
–That a promissory note in the sum of N9,000,542,651,786.11 be issued to the Nasarawa State government as a refund for the takeover of the newly constructed Nasarawa Airport.
-That a promissory note in the sum of N15,137,336,95.88 only be issued to the Kebbi State state government as a refund for the takeover of Bernin Kebbi International Airport.
“The House of Representatives may wish to note that by the provisions of item three of the second schedule of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, aviation, including airports, safety of aircraft, and carriage of passengers and goods by air, fall under the exclusive legislative list.
“The impact of this is that ownership, regulation, and control of airports in Nigeria are exclusive to the Federal Government.
“In light of the above, I urge the House of Representatives to consider and grant concurrent approval for the establishment of the promissory notes programme in favour of the Kebbi and Nasarawa state governments, respectively, as prescribed in paragraph two above.”
