The Kwara State House of Assembly has urged the Federal Government to reimburse the state government about N8bn said to have been spent on the construction of Ilesha-Baruba-Chikanda-Republic of Benin Road.

The Kwara State Government had during the administration of Dr. Bukola Saraki as the governor of the state embarked on the road project.

Saraki, who is currently the Senate President, had said the state embarked on the project, which is a federal road, to alleviate the plight of commuters plying the road.

He added that the state government decided to assist the Federal Government to reconstruct the road, which had become a death trap.

The Speaker, KHSA, Dr. Ali Ahmad, said though the money had not been refunded, he was hopeful that President Muhammadu Buhari would reimburse the state government.

He added that the refund by the Federal Government would encourage the state government to embark on similar intervention in future. He spoke on the sidelines of the resolutions of the assembly, following a motion of notice by a member, representing Ilesha-Gwanara Constituency, Mr. Umar Gunu, on the provision of adequate infrastructure to border communities along Nigeria-Benin Republic in Baruteen Local Government.

Ahmad commended the Kwara State Government for its foresight in constructing the road which, he noted had enhanced the wellbeing of the people and facilitated the socio-economic transformation of the area.

He also said the assembly called on the state government to establish a functional office for the Border Communities Development Agency in Baruteen LGA to address the numerous developmental challenges confronting border communities in the local government.

Gunu, who is also the Chief Whip of the House of Assembly said the alleged neglect and deprivation of the border communities in the area had made the people of the area to start relocating to more developed border communities.