Buhari orders payment of Paris Club refunds to states

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed payment of the second tranche of the London-Paris Club refunds to the 36 states in order to ease their financial hardships.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari as giving the directive yesterday while addressing the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and attended by state governors.

President Buhari, however urged governors to use the refunds for the settlement of unpaid salaries and pension liabilities of their workers.

“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,” Buhari said.

Buhari, who went round the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa to shake hand with the governors, commended the unity of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

President Buhari apologised to the governors for barring them from visiting him while he was on medical vacation in the United Kingdom recently saying “I didn’t want government to move to London. I wanted it to remain here and I am glad it did.”

The second Paris loan refund is about N500 billion, while the first refund that was shared to states late last year was about N388 billion.