Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has said should the Federal Government refund the N9.75 billion spent at the Lafia Cargo Airport, his government would invest the fund solely on basic infrastructural development.
The governor, who led a delegation from the state on a thank-you visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, assured Mr. President that the money would be judiciously used towards providing basic infrastructure.
The delegation, which cut across party divide, were at the Villa to appreciate the president for the numerous interventions by the Federal Government in the state.
Sule specially appreciated President Buhari for accepting to refund the total amount of money expended by the state in constructing the airport, and assured him that the refund would be utilised in the development of basic infrastructure, such as healthcare, educational facilities, among others for the needed progress and development of the state.
He specifically said 50 percent of the funds would be used to complete the Lafia/Keffi bypass, a project started by the immediate past administration of Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, while the remaining balance would be used to equip the three science and two technical schools across the state.
He added that part of the balance would be used to construct two new general hospitals and modern markets in Nasarawa, Wamba, Awe and Toto respectively.
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“Your Excellency Sir, we are here today to show appreciation for the numerous projects executed by your Administration which Nasarawa State is among the great beneficiaries. We are here to specifically appreciate the benevolence of your administration and your personal indulgence for approving the takeover of the Lafia Airport,” he said.
Governor Sule, however said, with the exceptional leadership provided by the President, as well as the giant strides of his administration, it’s obvious that such will translate into a resounding victory by the APC come 2023 general election.
He then thanked President Buhari for finding sons and daughters of the state worthy of appointment at the federal level, which gives the state a sense of pride and an opportunity to contribute towards national development.
According to Sule, the ongoing construction of the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi dual carriage road which has reached appreciable level of completion, among numerous ongoing projects in the state is enough to say thank you.
“In concluding, I wish to reiterate the assurances of the goodwill, support and loyalty of the good people of Nasarawa State to your administration even as you prepare to round-up your tenure as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We pray to maintain our prayers and relationships with Mr. President even after you retire to your farm in Daura,” he further said.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government recently accepted to not only take over the Lafia airport but agreed to refund the state the money spent in constructing the edifice, to the tune of N9.75bn.
