Buhari meets govs, approves 50% Paris Club refund for Christmas

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met with state governors over the 50 percent balance of the Paris Club refund and approved that it be paid to the states before Christmas.

Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said the president was concerned about the fate of workers who rely on only their salaries to meet their needs including payment of rent.

He said: “Basically, it is the end of the year and the president has expressed the need to make ensure that every Nigerian especially the workers have a beautiful Christmas and the issue of outstanding Paris club was discussed and that was taken care of, to make ensure that workers in various states and everywhere in the country get to celebrate the Christmas.”

He said the meeting ironed out the Paris Club refund issue once and for all, saying that the governors wanted the refunded money to form part of their states’ 2018 budget.

He added: “We are looking at getting the balance of Paris Club refund thrashed out once and for all.

“We also made a request for Mr President’s approval that the balance should form part of our 2018 budget because we can’t include it until we are sure that the money is coming. That was also sorted out.

“So, as it is now, the issue of workers took the center stage and Mr President was concerned about those who depend on their salaries to feed their families and pay their house rent and he had the assurance from the governors that we will meet up those obligations.”

On whether outstanding workers salaries would now be cleared by the states before Christmas, Okorocha stated: “Yes, with the Paris Club coming, every worker should enjoy his/her Christmas. I made it clear.”

But also speaking, Governor Nasir el-Rufai revealed that the Paris Club refund was still being reconciled even though the president had approved the payment of 50 percent of the original amount.

Asked how possible it was to use the money to pay workers salaries when it would be included in 2018 budget, he said: “Let me explain. The Paris club figures need to be reconciled. While the reconciliation process was going on, the president approved that 50 percent of the original amount be paid to the states.

“The payment started from last year. We still have the balance of the first 50 percent. This is what the president said should be paid to state governments to meet their obligations before Christmas because he’s concerned that many families depend solely on their salaries to for rent, for the festive period. That had been decided.

“The balance of the first 50 percent is what we are expecting now before Christmas. The President has approved that and said it must be paid.”

The governors were, however, unable to give the amount involved in this tranche of refund.

According to el-Rufai, “I don’t know the amount. I’m sure that if you contact the Ministry of Finance, they can give you the total amount. I only know what my state is likely to get.

“There is another 50 percent that needs to be paid when the figures are reconciled. The reconciliation is going to be concluded before the end of the year.

“The Chief of Staff to the President will ensure that the committee working on the reconciliation will conclude the work before the end of the year.

“So, what the governors are requesting from the president is a directive – ‘go-ahead to include the next 50 percent in your 2018 budget and that is going to be looked at.’

“Every state will get its own share of the Paris-Club refund. It will not get more. Every state has a specific amount that was deducted. That amount may be enough to cover the arrears; it may not be because you cannot get more than you are entitled to. It varies from state to state.

“My state has no salary arrears at all. So, it’s a mute issue. Kano doesn’t have salary arrears. Whatever we are getting, we just continue with our development projects.

“Some states have salary arrears that are bigger than the Paris Club refund they are getting. Even when they get it, they will not be able to clear the salary arrears. But it is better to reduce it so that people will have happier Christmas than not.”