Cash-crunched state governments have
resolved to demand from President Muhammadu Buhari, the refund of
money spent on executing Federal Government projects in their respective
states.
They argued that doing so was the only option before them since the Federal Government was also not liquid.
The payment of the debts was one of the
issues raised and discussed by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum at its
meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
Their Chairman, who is also the Governor of Zamafara State, Abdullazez Yari, read the communiqué after the meeting.
Yari said the governors had agreed to meet with Buhari next week over the issue(debt payment).
He said, “We all know that the economy
of the country is in a bad shape. So, what we suggested and agreed on
was that a number of state governors have executed various projects
for the Federal Government.
“So, instead of looking for that
(bailout), let us ask the Federal Government to settle that backlog owed
us so that we can move forward.
“In nearly all the states, you may
have N10bn or N20bn owed. Like in Lagos, more than N50bn was spent
on federal projects that has yet to be settled.
“So, if we can get that done, then most of the issues can be resolved in earnest. So, we are seeing the President next week.”
Yari added that the governors were
threading softly because they were aware that some federal
parastatal and agency workers were also being owed salaries.
He said, “As we are (in) bad (debt), the
Federal Government is also on the same lane because some of the
agencies and parastatals have not paid the salaries of their members
of staff for six months. So it is not only the states that are owing
some of their employees.
“It is the problem of the entire nation.
We are going to work in synergy with the Federal Government to overcome
the challenge. We will meet with the President next week so that we can
get a lasting solution to this problem.”
Apart from this, Yari said that the
governors had agreed to hold a retreat on how states could enhance
good governance and improve their revenue base.
The Zamfara State governor, who will
serve as chairman of the forum for one year, added that his colleagues
had also agreed to work with the President to move the country forward.
Also speaking, Governor Adams Oshiomhole
of Edo State stated that the problem facing the states was not payment
of salaries alone, but meeting their obligations to all Nigerians.
He said that Buhari must stop the stealing of public funds by greedy Nigerians so that the country could move forward.
The governor lamented that only $2.5bn was left in the Excess Crude Account as of Wednesday.
He said, “To stop the fleecing; stop the
stealing and get those who had stolen return the money. We are
surprised that the excess crude fund has dropped to $2.5bn.
“How did this happen? No nation makes enough money to feed the greed of a few people.
“The issue is not about payment of
salaries. In Edo State, we are paying. But the issue is not that because
even the Bible says the labourer deserves his wage. Nothing justifies
the situation in which we find ourselves now.
“A situation where what accrues to the
states is less than what is required to pay workers, I think there are a
couple of issues. Governors are prepared to assist plug all the
loopholes. You don’t need to victimise anybody, just plug the
loopholes.”
He said that the financial crisis facing
the states would be worse if governments failed to pay contractors
and were therefore made to lay off workers.
“The crisis we face now, concerning
public sector; if we don’t pay contractors, the day they lay off their
workers, we will have a greater problem,” he added.
The governor said that Buhari needed to take the advice of governors because of the huge debt he inherited.
This and other issues, according to him, will be discussed objectively during their meeting with the President next week.
culled from ThePunch
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