Buhari To CBN: Release N500b Paris Club Cash

President Muhammadu Buhari directed Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele to quickly facilitate the payment of the second tranche of

the London-Paris Club refund to – to ease states’ financial hardship.Many Are not paying workers because they are short of cash.The President said the money – about N500 billion – should be used to pay outstanding workers’ salaries and pension.He gave the directive during a meeting with governors after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting. The NEC is chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. A statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, quoted the President as telling the governors: “I will not rest until I address those issues that affect our people.  One of these basic things is the issue of salaries.“It is most important that workers are able to feed their families, pay rent and school fees, then other things can follow.”Although he did not mention the amount involved, The Nation’s lead story on Monday scooped that about N500billion is to be shared among the 36 states.The Federal Government has given the conditions that the states must meet to get the cash.Part of this is that they must give account of how the first tranche of the refund was spent.The seven states being investiogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged diversion of part of the money must be cleared by the anti-graft agency.
President Buhari, who went round the Council Chamber to greet the governors one after the other, praised the unity of the Forum of Governors.