The Nasarawa State Government has received a N9.75 billion refund from the Federal Government following the transfer of ownership of the former Lafia Cargo Airport, now renamed Usman Dan Fodio Airport.
Governor Abdullahi Sule made the announcement during a stakeholder meeting held on Monday at the Government House in Lafia. He explained that the refund was the result of persistent efforts by his administration since the Federal Government took over the airport in 2022.
Governor Sule expressed gratitude to various stakeholders, including members of the National Assembly, traditional leaders, and government officials, for their crucial roles in securing the reimbursement. Among those praised were Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, who initiated the airport project, and Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, who contributed to the refund process.
The governor explained that the state originally sought the refund to finance the completion of the Kwandere-Sabon Gida Road, another initiative started under Al-Makura’s administration. “The motivation for requesting the refund was to use the funds to complete the road… Unfortunately, we did not receive the funds until last week,” he said.
During the meeting, participants were also invited to deliberate on how best to utilise the refunded amount, ensuring that the decision reflects collective input and benefits the entire state.
In addition to the refund news, Governor Sule announced the technical completion of the over N16 billion Lafia Flyover and Underpass. He invited stakeholders to witness the opening of the road for public use ahead of its official commissioning by President Bola Tinubu in June. “Opening the road now allows us to detect and fix any emerging issues before the formal inauguration,” he added.
What you should know
Nasarawa State recently secured a N9.75 billion refund from the Federal Government for the Lafia Airport takeover.
The funds are expected to help complete a key road project, while the newly finished Lafia Flyover and Underpass are set for public use ahead of their June commissioning.
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