President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday directed the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma; and the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to work with state governors to ensure the payment of outstanding Paris Club refund before the end of the year.
The President was said to have urged the governors to utilise the money to clear salary arrears they owed their workers before Christmas.
The governors had earlier received 50 per cent of the refund, leaving a balance of 50 per cent which Buhari directed its payment on Monday.
The President was said to have given the directive at a meeting he had with state governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to information posted on one of the Presidency’s Twitter handles – @NGRPresident – the meeting featured discussions on the nation’s economy, workers’ welfare, as well as federal-state relations, among others.
“President @MBuhari has directed the Ministers of @FinMinNigeria and Budget & National Planning and Governor @cenbank to commence negotiations with the Governors’ Forum to enable payment of outstanding Paris & London Club refunds before the end of the year,” the information read.
The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, and the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, confirmed the development to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.
Okorocha said the President, at the meeting, expressed the need to ensure that every Nigerian, especially workers, had a beautiful Christmas.
He stated, “We are looking at getting the balance of Paris Club refund.
“We also made a request for Mr. President’s approval that the balance should form part of our 2018 budgets because we can’t do anything until we are sure that the money is coming.
“The issue of workers took the centre stage and Mr. President expressed concern about those who depend on their salaries to feed their families and pay their house rents and he had the assurance from the governors that we will meet up our obligations.
“Also, it was emphasised that states and Federal Government must work together to get Nigeria out of its present economic predicament.”
