Govs ask Buhari for full Paris Club refund

By Abdullahi M. Gulloma Abuja–

Governors from the 36 states have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the balance of 50 per cent Paris/London loan refund for them ahead of the 2018 budget. Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, stated this yesterday shortly after leading some governors to meet with the president.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Yari said they were at the Villa to remind the president of his directive in 2016 that 50 percent of the money be paid to states, and the balance after reconciliation. Yari said they told Buhari that “reconciliation is on since 2016, we are hoping that both DMO (Debt Management Office) Ministry of Finance, AGF and our consultants are concluding this reconciliation by November.

“So, we want to crave your indulgence so that we can factor the numbers in our 2018 budget, so that we can use it for projects and otherrecurrent spending according to the specification given by our respective House of Assemblies”. The Zamfara governor also said they were at the president’s office to thank him for his concern about the economy of most states, and for giving them support “ranging from bail out, restructuring our debt and London- Paris club exit payment”. He said Nigeria got out of recession largely because of the bailouts given to states by the president, noting that the larger population resides in the states.

Yari said the President was “prompt” in responding to them and assured that the reconciliation would be completed when he(Buhari) returns from his foreign trip.

“We are going to work with the numbers when he returns from his trip, we are going to follow up this meeting with him so that we can conclude on what is going to be done next,” he said. Receiving the governors, President Buhari expressed concerns over the growing complaints and agitations by workers in states over unpaid salaries and allowances, in spite of interventions by the federal government.

“How can anyone go to bed and sleep soundly when workers have not been paid their salaries for months? I actually wonder how the workers feed their families, pay their rents and even pay school fees for their children,” he said.

He told the governors that two out of the three-pronged focus of the ruling All Progressives Congress to secure the country and fight corruption had received some commendable reviews by the people, noting that the challenge in payment of salaries in states had taken a toll on the people.

 

 

 

 

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