Wednesday 17 June 2015

Governors seek bailout for states with financial difficulties to pay salaries

Governors of the 36 states of the federation rose from a meeting in Abuja, resolving to meet President Muhammadu Buhari on the financial crisis crippling the affairs of the states.

Also, the governors congratulated the newly elected Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, pledging to cooperate with the 8th session of the National Assembly.



According to the chairman of the Governors Forum, Abdulazeez Yari, who was also confirmed at the meeting, the governors viewed the financial crisis facing the states as a national issue as there are federal government agencies that are owing salaries for upward of seven to eight months.

The new chairman of the Governors Forum said, “We decided not to talk of the bailout directly, though the problem we observe is not only a state matter. It is a national matter. Some of the federal agencies are being owed for seven months and above. The federal government cannot do it alone because of the dwindling of the economy.

“So, instead of requesting for the bailout, because we have to make sure that the federal government has liquidity, but where will the federal government find the liquidity? It is sending a very wrong signal that the states are asking for bailout and we all know that the economy of the country is in a very bad shape.

“So, instead of sending a bad signal and aware of the implications, we are asking the federal government to pay the states for the federal government jobs that have been executed by the states. The federal government is owing some states up to N10 billion for federal jobs executed. So, we would be asking the federal government to settle the backlog owed to the states. The federal government is owing some states N10 billion, N20 billion, N30 billion and Lagos state N50 billion. So, if we can get back some of this money, we can settle some of the backlog of wages and salaries.

“It is on this that the governors would be meeting the President very soon.” Governor Yari said.
Credit: ThisDay 

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