A
abujagirl
Guest
State Governors are demanding that the federal government pays up whatsoever debt it owes to states instead of bailing them out of their current financial mess.
THIS DAY reports that State Governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) arrived at the conclusion after a Wednesday meeting in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the Governors, Chairman of the NGF, Abdulazeez Yari, who was also confirmed at the meeting as the leader of the 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. Workers of some of the federal agencies are being owed for seven months and above.
''The federal government cannot do it alone because of the dwindling state of the economy. So instead of requesting for the bailout, we have to make sure that the federal government has liquidity. Besides, it is sending a very wrong signal that the states are asking for a bailout and we all know that the economy of the country is in a very bad shape.
''So instead of sending a wrong 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 owes some states up to N10 billion, N20 billion, N30 billion and Lagos State, N50 billion for federal jobs executed. So we would be asking the federal government to settle the backlog owed to the states.
''If we can get back some of these monies, we will be able to settle some of the backlog of wages and salaries. It is on this that the governors would be meeting the president very soon''.
THIS DAY reports that State Governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) arrived at the conclusion after a Wednesday meeting in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the Governors, Chairman of the NGF, Abdulazeez Yari, who was also confirmed at the meeting as the leader of the 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. Workers of some of the federal agencies are being owed for seven months and above.
''The federal government cannot do it alone because of the dwindling state of the economy. So instead of requesting for the bailout, we have to make sure that the federal government has liquidity. Besides, it is sending a very wrong signal that the states are asking for a bailout and we all know that the economy of the country is in a very bad shape.
''So instead of sending a wrong 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 owes some states up to N10 billion, N20 billion, N30 billion and Lagos State, N50 billion for federal jobs executed. So we would be asking the federal government to settle the backlog owed to the states.
''If we can get back some of these monies, we will be able to settle some of the backlog of wages and salaries. It is on this that the governors would be meeting the president very soon''.
