Abdullahi Sule: Nasarawa Now Gets N16bn Monthly, Up From N4.5bn Before Fuel Subsidy Removal

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, says the state’s monthly federal allocation has increased to between N14 billion and N16 billion following the removal of the petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu.

Sule disclosed this on Saturday in Lafia while hosting journalists and members of the presidential media team who were in the state to inspect federal and state government projects.

The governor said Nasarawa previously received between N3.8 billion and N4.5 billion monthly from the Federation Account before the subsidy removal, while the state’s local governments received between N1.9 billion and N2.5 billion.

According to him, the increase in federal allocations has created additional fiscal space for states to execute development projects without relying heavily on bank borrowing.

Sule credited Tinubu’s reforms for the increased resources available to his administration, saying the President “took the bullet” for state governors when he removed the petrol subsidy.

“All the projects we are doing in Nasarawa State today, without borrowing from the bank, are as a result of President Bola and his support,” Sule said.

He said the increased allocation had enabled the state to undertake projects that would previously have been difficult to finance.

Sule also defended his administration’s decision to invest in infrastructure and government facilities, saying the state now had greater resources than it did before the current administration.

He explained that he had adopted a transparent approach to government contracts by publicly stating the amounts being spent on projects so that residents could assess the value being delivered.

The governor, who previously worked in the private sector, said his administration had remained conscious of the need to justify public expenditure.

He also responded to criticism over his support for Tinubu’s economic reforms, saying he was being accused of abandoning his reputation for straightforwardness because he now publicly acknowledged what he considered positive developments under the Federal Government.

Sule said the benefits of the reforms should be assessed alongside the expenses and responsibilities that come with increased federal allocations.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, also said state governments and other sub-national governments were benefiting from the removal of the petrol subsidy through increased resources and landmark projects across the country.

The presidential media team’s visit to Nasarawa formed part of an inspection of federal and state infrastructure projects and an assessment of the impact of ongoing government reforms.