Senate panel has rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s loan request of $700M (Million) for water project.
The Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts rejected the loan request to the National Assembly for the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water supply on Wednesday, the 27th of October 2021.
This is coming just barely 24 hours after the Ministry of Health sought for the approval of $200M for the purchase of malaria medicine and mosquito nets.
According to the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Clifford Ordia revealed that three different loans had been approved for diverse water projects.
He said, “$450 million to the Ministry do water projects being financed by Africa Development Bank and another $6 million under the integrated program for development also financed by the Africa Development Bank and Gurara water project
You need to tell is what you are doing with $700 million go water project”
Senator Obinna Ogba also expressed his thoughts on the loan request. He said ” This particular loan? I don’t support this one again, enough is enough”
In the same view, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe said, “what is the criteria for selecting benefiting states, the details you are providing is not enough what are the projects you want to do with $700 million and how many water projects are you going to do…”
Senator Birma Enagi, among others also expressed their rejection of the $700 million loan. Senator Sani Musa also rejected the request but advised the Committee to pick on the necessary request after looking at them all.
The committee, thus agreed to convene the audience of Adamu Suleiman, the Minister of Water Resourses to elaborate on the request of $700 million loan and also give account for the previous loans that have been collected so far.
