Airport: Why Gombe Expects N10b Refund from FG
Chima Azubuike
Following the decision of the federal government to takeover the Gombe International Airport, the State Government says it expects nothing less than N10b.
Disclosing this during the weekend shortly after 2023 budget breakdown, State’s Commissioner for Finance Muhammad Magaji, said it was only fair to get the amount due to government’s spending in bringing the facility to international standards.
The Commissioner captured this under comparative analysis of 2022/2023 capital receipts, where Federal Government is expected to make a reimbursement of N10b, at 11.4 per cent of total capital receipt.
Magaji explained, “There is a Federal Government policy to take over Airports from State Government’s because Airport is also termed as security assets because. we don’t only use them for commercial reasons they are also used for military purpose and because of strategic nature of Gombe placed at the centre of North-East with Air force tactical base Federal Government felt the need to takeover the Gombe Airport.
“So that it could serve dual purposes of commercial and military purpose and as such Gombe State has spent over N11b to put up the airport. It is 3.5-3.6Km runway airport, it was built based on international standards it an expensive venture, so ofcourse if the Federal Government is taking is only fair for the federal government to reimburse the state government for the amount it has spent in erecting the Airport that is why you see the 10b naira captured.”
Recall that the Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya earlier proposed N173.6b, later signed N176b, passed by Gombe State House of Assembly, Magaji noted during the breakdown that the increment displayed the beauty of democracy.
“The Executive did it bit and submitted to the legislature. The legislature has the powers to determine the size they worked in conjunction with us,” Magaji added.
