Niger State Assembly Clarifies State Government Not Seeking Any Fresh Loan

By YM Bina

The Speaker, Barrister Abdulmalik Sarkin- Daji disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Minna, said that the request was not a fresh loan by the State government but a request by the government to guarantee for Niger Food Security Systems and Logistics Company through UBA to secure investments plan from Saudi Exim Lina to support the company operational expansion development of 3,000 hectres fully irrigated farm estate to situated in the state.

The Speaker said the clarification becomes necessary following the misconception that the state assembly has granted a fresh loan to the state government, while expressing displeasure over reports in some media organizations suggesting that the assembly has advanced another loan to the governor.

He however pointed out that the state government through the governor is at the liberty to apply for loan through the state assembly if the purpose is for the development of the state, hence the house assembly will not hesitate to grant any genuine loan.

While disassociating the assembly from the purportedly 14.4 million dollar loan he urged the media to always clarify it’s reports before going to the press.

Sarkin-Daji further clarified that it was a presentation of a correspondence from Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago seeking legislative approval for a bank guarantee valued at over fourteen point four million dollars in favour of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) under the Saudi EXIM Line of Financing which Niger state will served as guarantor.

He disclosed that the assembly is aware and have a record of all the loan facilities it has granted to the government since the inception of this administration

The Speaker also urged the general public to discard the report, adding that is completely untrue that Niger state is going to take a fresh loan but just a guarantor between the Saudi Exim Line and the Niger Foods Security Systems and Logistics Company through UBA.