Following the order from the federal government to recall the second tranche of London and Paris Club Refunds disbursed to five states amounting to about $2.7 billion, the 36 state Governors have resolved to use the funds to offset payment of outstanding salaries.
The governors also resolved to prepare all their outstanding liabilities and forward them to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
The governors, under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, after a marathon meeting in Abuja Wednesday, resolved to take such a decision in the interest of their respective states, just as they have begun to do individual presentation and submission.
Vanguard gathered that at the end of the emergency meeting in Abuja, Governor Abdul’Aziz Yari, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and governor of Zamfara State, urged other governors to come along with at least three months evidence of salary payment as well as evidence of any challenge related to the payment of salaries.
It would be recalled that the federal government had on Monday, ordered recall of the second tranche of the London and Paris Club Refunds disbursed to five states, amounting to about $2.7 billion (N972 billion.)
The states involved are Delta, Imo, Benue, Rivers and Osun
Speaking with Vanguard exclusively yesterday on the meeting, Asishana Okauru, the Director- General, NGF, noted that the governors and the federal government were on the same page.
He said the governors resolved to work with the federal government to arrive on a common ground on the issue.
Okauru, who noted that addressing the issues of salaries formed a major priority of the government and the governors, said: “The governors are committed to that and they have agreed to certainly comply with their commitments to pay salaries.”
Vanguard gathered that the governors who attended the meeting included those of Kogi; Delta; Nasarawa; Niger; Imo; Plateau; Kebbi; Ebonyi, Benue and Zamfara states.
Also present were the deputy governors of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Anambra, Sbia, Enugu, Gombe, Katsina, Rivers, Ondo and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Cross River State.
