Govs back FG’s decision to embargo Paris Club refund to states
The 36 governors in the country have thrown their weight behind the decision of the Federal Government to place an embargo on Paris Club refund to states.
This was disclosed by Bauchi State governor, Mohammed Abubakar while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had asked states which had received the second tranche of Paris Club refund to return same until such conditions, such as justifying usage of the first tranche release, were met.
Governor Abubakar said: “The Federal Government was right in placing those conditions. It is necessary when you are getting such huge amount of money and there are issues of workers’ salaries being owed by some states, that issue must be addressed.
“If a state does not meet that, the Federal Government will be right to hold on to the funds until it gets the commitment of all states to meet this basic responsibility.”
The Bauchi governor also revealed that the issue of a new minimum wage was not discussed at the NEC meeting, adding that negotiations were still ongoing on the issue.
“That was not discussed at the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting. Second, governors are part and parcel of the negotiation, the governors have not taken a decision either way because it’s a negotiating process and it’s ongoing.
‘’We are represented by six governors in the committee, it’s a work in progress and am sure we will get to the promised land”, Abubakar said.
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