The federal government has raised the hope of
Rivers State to get a refund of the money spent by the state to execute federal
projects with the visit of the verification team.
The Federal Projects Verification Team led by the Minister
of State for Education, Hon Chukwuemeka
Nwajiuba, on Monday arrived in the state and met with state Governor, Nyesom
Wike, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the governor, Nwajiuba said the team was
in the state in respect of the federal projects verification exercise approved
by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
He said the team would assess and verify projects
that the Rivers State Government completed on behalf of the federal government
and report back to the FEC.
Nwajiuba noted that the FEC raised the committee
following official demands by the state government on federal projects executed
by the state.
The minister said the verification team would work
with the state government to verify the claims.
In his address at the courtesy visit, Wike said he
is hopeful that the federal government would refund the state resources used in
executing federal projects in the state.
He said his optimism stems from the fact that the FEC
has sent a verification team to the state in respect of federal projects.
Wike said: "I thank the federal government for
at least coming to verify our claims. We submitted our claims; however, some
other states have been paid. But we are still hopeful.
"We have been submitting several documents on
the issue of projects that were executed by the Rivers State Government for the
federal government. We believe that by
this verification visit, we will get paid."
The governor said most of the federal projects in
question were executed by Dr. Peter Odili and the immediate-past administration
of Chibuike Amaechi.
He said if the state gets the said funds, they
would be channelled towards other developmental projects in the state.
Wike said the country must move together in unity because
certain issues transcend politics.
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