The Federal Government has ordered the recall of $2.7 billion (N972 billion) London and Paris Club refunds payment to Osun, Imo, Delta, Rivers and Benue States.
The recall was ordered done from the state governments’ account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
No reason was given for the action, which many of the governors have claimed was politically motivated.
However, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has conveyed an emergency meeting to challenge the action, just as some of the governors claimed to have used the payments to settle workers’ salary and pension arrears.
Recall that Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom last week confirmed the receipt of N14.9 billion Paris Club refund from the Federal Government.
The governor added that 80 per cent of the funds would be committed to payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities.
Read Also: Ortom confirms receipt of FG’s N14.9bn Paris Club refunds
Vanguard also quoted Osun State Commissioner for Information, Adelani Baderinwa as saying that the Paris Club refund disbursed to the state had been spent on workers’ salary.
Meanwhile, the NGF Chairman, Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, has reportedly called an emergency meeting of the body for 3pm today at its Secretariat in Abuja.
The NGF Chairman was said to have advised the governors to come with evidence of payment of at least three months salaries from the refund.