In the face of dire financial crisis
affecting most states of the country, the 36 state governors under the aegis of
Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) yesterday asked the federal government to
reimburse monies spent by states on federal government projects across the
country.
The governors therefore said they will meet
with President Muhammadu Buhari next week to seek lasting solutions to the
economic challenges confronting the nation.
The governors who ruled out moving for
bailouts from the federal government to settle their financial challenges opted
instead for the reimbursements on federal projects executed in their respective
states.
These were part of the resolutions reached
at the second meeting of the NGF in Abuja yesterday.
This comes as the the Edo State governor,
Adams Oshiomole, lamented that excess crude fund is depleted to $2.5 billion.
He further canvassed the plugging of
economic loopholes in the country and advocated that those who stole government
monies should return them.
However, the NGF chairman and governor of
Zamfara State, Abdullazeez Yari, who chaired the meeting lamented that
Nigeria’s economy is in bad shape, noting that it was responsible for the
inability of some states to pay their workers salary.
Yari, who pointed out that the financial crisis
in the states was extensively discussed at the meeting noted that some states
are being owed N10billion to N20billion. The federal government owes Lagos
State over N50billion.
Yari said, “We all know that the economy of
the country is in bad shape. So, what we suggested is that a number of state
governors have executed various projects for the federal government.
“So, instead of looking for that, let us
look for the federal government to settle that backlog for us so that we can be
able to move forward. Nearly all the states; you can have N10billion,
N20billion, like Lagos more than N50billion federal projects that is not yet
settled. So, if we can get that done, then most of the issues can be resolved
in earnest.
“And we are trying to see that we find a
lasting solution. We are seeing the president to sit down with him. As we are
(in) bad (debt), the federal government is also on the same thing because some
of the agencies were not paid salaries for six months. It’s not only states.
“So, it’s the problem of the entire nation,
not only states. We are going to work in synergy to cross our fingers, meet
with the president so that we can get a lasting solution to this problem”.
The states owing workers, according to the
labour union include: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Ekiti, Imo,
Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers and
Zamfara.
The governors also agreed to undertake
retreat dedicated exclusively to how states can become more viable and identify
means of improving governance.
They further sympathized with the people
and states affected by the insurgency in the north east. They also committed to
aid them in the process of rebuilding, restructuring and rehabilitation of
Internally Displaced Persons.
Speaking also, Governor Adams Oshiomhole,
who lamented the economic state of the country, said there is “need to stop the
fleecing, stop the stealing, and get those who had stolen to return the money.
“We are surprised that the excess crude
fund has dropped to $2.5 billion. How did this happen? No nation makes enough
money to feed the greed of its people.
“The issue is not about payment of salary.
In Edo State, we are paying. But the issues is not that because even the Bible
said 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 loop holes. You don’t need
to witch hunt anybody, just plug the loopholes.
“The crises we face now, concerning public
sector; if we don’t pay contractors, the day they lay off their workers, we
have a greater problem.
“We shall speak with Mr. President because
he also inheriting huge debt stock and there is no money to do anything.
“So, he also needs our advice. I guess
these are issues we need to discuss objectively and see how we get out of it so
that never again shall we get to this problem.”
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