By Ummi Ismaeel
Minna
The disbursement of the N21.5 billion Islamic banking (Sukuk) loan by the Niger State government for infrastural development has brought disunity among youth groups from the three senatorial zones of the state.
Some have accused the state government of being unfair in the distribution of projects for which the fund was meant for, while others said otherwise.
But the state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Zakari Abubakar, had while briefing journalists at Government House, explained that the essence of the bond, which would be released in two tranches, was to enable the government execute some basic projects that would be of direct benefit to Nigerlites irrespective of place of origin.
He also pointed out that the projects were to be in phases.
According to him, the first phase of N12.5 billion projects would kick-off this year, while the second phase in 2019 would gulp N 9 billion with seven years repayment plan at an interest rate of 17 percent.
Zakari also said that the government would focus on Minna township roads, construction and the rehabilitation of Kontagora General Hospital captured in the first phase of the infrastructural development projects.
The second phase of the projects, he said, included the construction of Mariga International Ultra modern market, rehabilitation of Kontagora water treatment plant, construction of the Suleja Trailer motor park and the development of Niger State Mining Development City.
Meanwhile, two youth groups have risen in support and against the decision of the Alhaji Abubarkar Sani-Bello led government to go into borrowing, each with reasons to justify its position barely 48 hours after the press conference.
While one of the youth groups accused the state government of skewing the utilisation of the fund in favour of one of the senatorial zones against the two others, the other youth group in defence of the administration, saying otherwise.
Leader of one of the youth groups, Dr. Ndagi Abdullahi Muhammed, had accused the Governor Bello-led APC administration of marginalising the Nupe people of the state in the distribution of state government projects under the Sukuk bond.
Muhammed however advised the APC government to desist from playing politics with loans obtained under the name, ‘Niger state government’, by ensuring that all the senatorial zones get their own share of the sukuk bond loan financed projects in the interest of, ‘equity, fairness, and just to all parties’.
But the other youth group, ‘Niger State Coalition in Defence of Transformation’, led by Muhammed Muhammed, absolved the Bello administration of any wrongdoing, saying, “it has been fair to all the zones”.
Apart from the Sukuk loan being desirable to accelerating infrastructural development, Mohammed while briefing journalists on Friday commended Governor Abubakar Sani Bello for ensuring that the sukuk projects were equally distributed across the three senatorial zones.
Mohammed, who praised Governor Bello for embarking on alternative sourcing of funding for infrastructural development, said, “A careful look at this shows an even spreading of Sukuk powered projects across the three geo-political zones”.
He argued that the projects would improve state revenue base.
“When the projects are completed they will increase the state IGR by 70% which is in line with the vision of the Bello administration of creating alternative revenue source to reduce over-dependence on monthly Federal Allocation,” he said.
The youth leader also said that the $266 million IDB loan was for the construction of the Bida-Minna road, while the $330 million Kuwait fund was being channeled for the construct of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Teaching hospital at Lapai.