FG To Halt Deductions From State Govts

The Federal Government has resolved to halt deductions of the Paris club debt from the accounts of state governments going forward.

Naija News learnt that the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Governor Aminu Tambuwal, disclosed this in a communique after a meeting of the forum  on Tuesday.

According to him, part of the reasons why the federal government decided to stop the deduction of the money was for state governments “to meet Local Government Councils London/Paris Club obligations.”

Tambuwal explained that the minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed also promised to ensure the refund of what had been deducted before now from the states government accounts.

The communique partly reads  “Members were briefed by the Chairman of the forum that the Hon. Minister of Finance has granted the request of the forum to immediately stop further deductions from the accounts of States to meet Local Government Councils London Paris Club obligations and the monies so far deducted be paid back to the States.

“On the leadership of the forum, the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, emerged the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum through a consensus, and the Governor of Oyo State Seyi Makinde is now the Vice-Chairman.”