By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru,
Anayo Okoli, Samuel Oyadongha, Simon Ebegbulem, Dayo Johnson, Demola Akinyemi,
Gbenga Olarinoye, Dapo Akinrefon, Levinus Nwabughiogu & Marie-Therese
Nanlong
ABUJA — THE Presidency and the
national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, were sharply
divided, yesterday, over the sources of the N804.7 billion relief package being
worked out to bail out many states of the country from their unpaid salaries
burden.
While the PDP said that a
significant amount of the princely sum came from savings left behind by the
out-gone administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, the Presidency disagreed,
arguing that the money came from proceeds of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas
(NLNG).
President Muhammadu Buhari
Upon assumption of office on May 29, President
Muhammadu Buhari said the departing PDP government left an empty treasury and
pleaded with Nigerians for patience as they await urgent implementation of his
change agenda.
The Presidency also refuted some
media reports that the presidential relief package was drawn from the Excess
Crude Accounts, ECA, stressing that the ECA is intact. This came as state
governments, the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and
some eminent Nigerians lauded President Muhammadu Buhari over the relief
package, saying itwill help boost the economy.
Buhari, APC should learn from PDP
and save for the rainy day –PDP
In a statement by its National
Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP said that the bailout would go
a long way in alleviating the sufferings of Nigerian workers in various states
of the federation, most of whom have been without their wages for several
months.
The party, however, noted that a
significant amount of the bailout came from savings accumulated in the Excess
Crude Account handed over to the Buhari administration by the past Jonathan-led
administration.
“This development is in clear
contradiction to the earlier impression given by President Buhari to Nigerians
and the international community that they should not expect much from his
administration in its first 100 days because according him, on assumption of
office, he met a virtually empty treasury.
“We want to believe that given the
President’s release of such huge amount, he may have realized that he was
earlier misdirected on the actual financial state of the nation at the time he
took over. In this regard, we expect the President, as a respected statesman to
do the needful to correct that erroneous impression.
“Furthermore, we expect President
Buhari’s APC administration as direct beneficiary of this savings initiated by
past PDP administrations to appreciate the strategic importance of always
saving for rainy days and as such guarantee prudent and transparent management
of the nation’s resources now under its care.”
Continuing, the PDP urged members of
the APC to put their house in order and stop distracting President Buhari by
allowing him settle down for the business of governance.
Metuh said: “The party therefore
charged the APC as a party in government to put its house in order, desist from
injecting confusion and distracting the President from settling down to form a
government and face the enormous challenges of governance, especially the
implementation of his long list of campaign promises to Nigerians.
“It said Nigerians are no longer
interested in insults, tirades and propaganda but in actions and policies that
would move the nation forward, a stance the APC has failed to recognize.’’
PDP lied—Presidency
Reacting to the PDP’s claims that a
significant amount of the bailout fund came from the ECA left by former
President Jonathan, the Presidency clarified that the fund was generated from
proceeds paid in by NLNG.
Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said: “Let me say that no
money was taken from the Excess Crude Account. I was present two weeks ago when
the governors met with the President, one of them (governors) called his
attention to the fact that he had heard that Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas,
NLNG, had paid in some dividends to Nigeria.
“Let me also add that in the course
of their courtesy visit last week, the board of NLNG announced to the president
that they had made the payment. So in a similar way, the President was just
informed about this money last week.”
Indeed, the presidency had before
the telephone chat with Malam Garba Shehu refuted some media reports that the
presidential relief package was drawn from the ECA, stressing that the ECA
remains intact.
It said that the bailout was drawn
from the dividends realized from the proceeds of the Liquefied Natural Gas
Company (NLNG), a special intervention relief fund from the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN and a debt restructuring deal by the Debt Management Office, DMO.
It will be recalled that the
Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, on Monday told State
House Correspondents that the three tiers of government were to share about
$1.7 billion, equivalent of N391 billion.
But a statement by the Special
Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina yesterday
overruled Idris on the ECA.
The statement read thus: “Reports in
sections of the media today that funds will be drawn from the Excess Crude
Account for the relief package approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for
states and local governments, are incorrect. For the purpose of greater clarity
on the matter, the measures approved by President Buhari to deal with the
problem of unpaid public sector salaries in many states are as follows:
*The sharing of the $2.1
billion dividend paid to the Federation Account by the Nigeria Liquefied
Natural Gas Company (NLNG);
*A Central Bank-packaged special
intervention fund that will offer financing to the states, ranging from N250
billion to N300 billion. This will be a soft loan available to states for the
purposes of paying backlog of salaries; and
*A debt relief programme designed by
the Debt Management Office which will help states restructure their commercial
loans currently put at over N660 Billion, and extend the life span of such
loans while reducing their debt-servicing expenditures.
“The measures approved by President
Buhari definitely do not include drawing down the remaining balance in the
Excess Crude Account or the “liquidation” of the account as some media outlets
have wrongly reported. No such decision has been taken or approved by President
Buhari, and last week’s meeting of the National Economic Council clearly
concluded that the Excess Crude Account should be left untouched at this time.”
APC hails Buhari for ending workers’
mystery
Reacting to the development, the APC
has hailed President Buhari for coming to the aid of the long-suffering
Nigerian workers with a multi-billion-naira package that will not only ensure
that all arrears of salaries owed by many states across the country are
immediately paid, but will also make it easier for the states to meet their
monthly salary obligations henceforth.
In a statement issued in Abuja by
its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it was
particularly delighted that the President has shown that he is truly the father
of the nation by eschewing partisanship in approving the intervention fund for
all the states, irrespective of which parties they belong to.
‘’We say this because when states
were financially handicapped during the tenure of the last federal government,
opposition states were hung out to dry why states belonging to the then ruling
PDP got generous bailouts.’’
APC said by his action, President
Buhari has practicalized his deep understanding of the essence of governance
which, more than anything else, is about the well-being of the citizenry.
The party said worthy of note and
commendation is the fact that the special intervention fund approved by
President Buhari was packaged without any external borrowing, despite the
paucity of funds occasioned by the fall in the price of crude oil and the
unprecedented profligacy of the immediate past administration that dried out
the pot of national resources.
It said so early in the life of his
administration, President Buhari is walking his talk by showing that with
prudence, financial discipline, plugging financial leakages and a deep sense of
patriotism, even the nation’s dwindling resources can still be more effectively
utilized for the benefit of Nigerians, rather than be looted by thieving public
officials who abuse their office.
Bailout commendable – Gov Dickson
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa
State also hailed the President’s bailout decision. Through his Chief Press
Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, he said: “The bailout to states by President
Muhammadu Buhari is highly commendable. Bayelsa is also expecting its own
share of the bailout funds to meet our outstanding obligations to pensioners
and local government workers.
“As you know, Bayelsa State is not
owing its workers, as it was the case with most states in the federation due to
the sharp drop in oil revenue. But we welcome the bailout to enable us support
the chairmen of the eight local government areas to clear the backlog of
salaries owed local government workers and pensioners.”
It will lessen states’ debt burden –
Gov Ahmed
In like manner, the Governor of
Kwara State,Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, expressed confidence that the bail
out for debtor states will lessen their debt burden or possibly eliminate it.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr
Muideen Akorede, Governor Ahmed also commended President Buhari for this
gesture, describing him as a listening leader who cares about the welfare of
his people.
Whatever comes to us will be
judiciously utilized-Edo Govt
In Benin City, Edo State
Government through the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Louis
Odion, said the state will judiciously manage whatever funds that accrue to it.
According to Odion, “this relief
from the Federal Government this will help the Comrade Governor to deliver more
to the people because we have ongoing projects and new ones. I can vow to you
that whatever comes to the state will be judiciously used as usual.”
Govs must cut their excesses —
Obada, Owie, Okpozo
Former Deputy Governor of the state,
Rev. Peter Obadan, former Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Roland Owie and
elder statesman, Senator Francis Okpozo reacted yesterday.
Obadan said: “The governors must be
more prudent in the financial management of their states and one must not fail
to commend Governor Adams Oshiomhole because it was the expectation of many
that Edo State will be listed among the states that are unable to pay salaries.
But he has excelled.”
On his part, Senator Owie stated
that “there is nothing wrong with the relief package. It is in order, provided
it is a loan which will be refunded or be deducted from their allocations. A
situation whereby you bail out a state owing 11 months’ salary and then bail
out another state owing one month or two months and then you now say that money
is free will encourage indiscipline in governance.”
Senator Okpozo said: “I know
President Buhari will not allow wastage of public funds, but he should not
forget that there are some governors who waste public funds unreasonably and he
should help make sure that every penny made available to the governors is well
monitored”.
Bailout well-timed –Gov Lanlong
In Plateau, Governor Simon Lalong
said the bailout is well-timed. Reacting to the issue, the Director of
Press and Public Affairs to the governor, Mr. Emmanuel Nanle, in a statement
said: “The President is very right in giving the bailout. The payment of the
fund is simply the bailout which the governors asked for and you are aware that
they asked for two things, the first was either for government to reimburse
them for the value of works done on behalf of the Federal Government,
particularly road constructions and the rest.”
Osun APC reacts
The APC in Osun State yesterday
thanked President Buhari for coming to the aid of all Nigerian workers.
According to the party’s Director of
Publicity and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi “the people of Nigeria and Osun in
particular will forever remember this action of Buhari, which signals the
possibility of a progressive future for the country”.
It’s welcome, says Abia govt
The Abia State Government has
described President Buhari’s release of funds to states to offset their salary
arrears as “a welcome development”, saying it would go a long way in assisting
the Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to stabilize his administration vision.
According to the Special Adviser to
the Governor on Media, Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue, the money would help states bounce
back into better financial position and give the governors some relief to
pursue their programs.
“For our own governor, being a prudent
person, who has already cut his salary and allowances, he will utilize the
funds very well. Already we have started paying salaries to the ministries, so
with these added funds, it will go a long way to help the state.”
Don’t divert the funds, Ondo NLC warns
govs
From Ondo, the state leadership of
the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) warned governors not to divert the funds.
State NLC Chairman, Comrade Bosede Daramola said that any state governor who
diverts the funds will incur the wrath of Nigerian workers.
- See more at: www.vanguardngr.com
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