Water Projects: Senate Panel Rejects Buhari’s Fresh $700m Loan Request
The Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts on Wednesday rejected the President Muhammadu Buhari,’s loan request to the National Assembly for Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene under the Ministry of Water Resources.
They asked the officials of the Ministry of Water Resources led by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Esther Didi Walson-Jack, to furnish the Committee with an update on loans collected so far for the Water Projects in the Ministry.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Clifford Ordia said three different loans had been approved for various water projects.
Ordia said, “$450 million for the Ministry for water project being financed Africa Development Bank and another $6 million loan under the integrated program for Development also financed by Africa Development Bank and the Gurara Water Project.
“You need to tell us what you are doing with $700 million for water projects.”
The Committee, therefore, agreed to summon the Minister of Water Resources, Adamu Suleiman to appear to give an explanation on the loans and state of loans collected so far
Speaking against the loan, Senator Obinna Ogba said that he will be against grant approval for the loan because some loans have been collected for water projects and yet to see the result.
He said, “This particular loan? I don’t support this one again, enough is enough.”
Also kicking against the loan, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe demanded the criteria for selecting the benefiting states.
He added that details provided by the Permanent Secretary were not enough to justify the loan.
The Senator 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 $640m and how many water projects are you going to do.
“You are giving each state $3m to develop personnel capacity. Do we need loan to do this function, you mean all states can’t do that on their own.”
