Nasarawa Government Denies Spending N707m On Refreshment, Meals

The Nasarawa State government has denied claims that it allegedly spent N707 million on refreshments and meals between January and September 2025.

The clarification came amid media reports (not LEADERSHIP) that the sum was frivolously spent while citizens suffered as a result of lack of access to potable water.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Mr. Peter Ahemba, said the amount cited did not represent a single discretionary expense on refreshments and meals as erroneously portrayed in the publication.

The governor’s aide also queried the reference to lack of access to water in the report, describing it as laughable and malicious.

“Government hereby refutes the claims and wish to further clarify that the cited N707 million represents aggregate expenditures across multiple Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) over the referenced nine months period, covering statutory and operational costs such as meetings, trainings, workshops, security activities and programme implementation.

“We equally found the allegation of neglect in rural water access laughable, given the sustained investments in water infrastructure across the state under the Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule-led Administration in the State. It is public knowledge that since 2019 when Governor Sule took over the mantle of leadership of the State, significant reforms and interventions have been implemented through the State Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (NASWASSA), Ministry of Water Resources, the State Water Board, and Development Partners, following the constitution of a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Taskforce and the enactment of relevant enabling laws,” Mr. Ahemba explained.

He said through the laudable initiatives, the state government implemented appreciable number of water-related projects and carried out major rehabilitation and upgrades of water works in Doma, Keana, Awe, Lafia, Nasarawa Eggon, Keffi, Karu and several other towns, involving grid connections, pump replacements, dredging, borehole rehabilitation, plant renovations and procurement of operational equipment amounting to billions of naira.

“These visible and verifiable interventions spread across rural and urban communities of the State no doubt contradict any claims of neglect hence we make bold to call on the public to disregard the malicious publication in it’s entirety as it has no iota of truth,” he noted.