Thirty-six state governors yesterday met in Abuja where they resolved to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari for an urgent review of the revenue formula and to address the problems precipitated by the economic problems.
The governors noted that it became imperative to work with the President because the issue of dwindling resources was not a state government problem alone, but an issue that has serious national impact.
They want the revenue sharing formula to change to Federal Government – 52 percent allocation of the national resources and states – 36 percent. The current revenue formula stand as Federal Government – 52.68 per cent; State – 26.72 per cent and Local Government – 20.60 per cent.
The governors also resolved to set up bodies that would help fish out where their predecessors have hidden the resources accruing to the states from the federation account.
Reading a communique at the end of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), chairman of the body and governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdullazeez Yari, disclosed that the governors will meet with the president to hand over to him, their template towards resolving the problem. He warned that if nothing urgent was done to block the loopholes, the country would be plunged into greater crises.
Asked whether the Forum discussed the issue of non-payment of salaries and other financial problems, Yari said: “Well, we discussed that extensively, and we are trying to see that we find a lasting solution to it. The Federal Government is also affected, so it is a problem of the entire nation. Therefore, we are going to send the communiqué to the president so that we can get a lasting solution to it.”
Present at the meeting were Governors of Taraba, Anambra, Ondo, Bauchi, Enugu, Katsina, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Kano, Lagos, Osun, Imo, Benue, Edo, Adamawa, Niger, Ebonyi, Abia, Zamfara, Nasarawa, deputy governors of Plateau, Delta and Borno.
What about the joint state/local government account from which the Governors defraud the LGA’s