Buhari tells governors to pay outstanding workers’ salaries
(Nigeria) President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, has called
on state governors to settle all unpaid workers’ salaries in their respective
states.
He advised the state governors to cultivate the culture of
prudent management of resources as well as embark on projects that would meet
the immediate needs of the people.
The President, while inaugurating the National Economic
Council, NEC in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that the call became
necessary bearing in mind the untold hardship being experienced by the workers
and their family members.
``It is evident that the task of ensuring growth, job
creation and equity, is quite enormous. This will entail looking inwards to
secure sustainable ways of increasing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and
harnessing growth potentials of each State to supplement the Federation Account
allocation to States.
``The States are also encouraged to embark on projects that
will meet immediate needs of the people taking account of available resources. I
therefore, urge Council members to consider, as a matter of urgency, exploring
efficient means of gradually liquidating all unpaid salaries of staff, which
have brought untold hardship to thousands of families.``
The President said that government was fully committed to
embarking on viable policies and programmes that would restructure and
transform the nation’s economy.
He spoke of the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring
partnerships and facilitating international efforts to tackle the issues of
cross-border terrorism, sea piracy, refugees, Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs), financial crime, cyber crime, climate change and the spread of
communicable diseases.
``I urge you all to ensure that we surmount these enormous
challenges facing us as a country by working to support economic policies,
which the government will soon unveil to grow our economy and finance our
external promises,`` he said.
He stressed the need for states to work closely especially
on projects such as interstate and feeder roads, soil erosion, desertification
and other developmental programmes.
He reiterated the determination of the Federal Government to
abide by the relevant sections of the constitution to ensure more
accountability and transparency in the remittance of all revenues to
consolidated revenue account.
``On its part the Federal Government will abide by the provisions
of Sections 80 and 162 of the Constitution and ensure more accountability,
transparency and integrity in the distribution of the Federation Account.
``All revenue generating agencies such as the Nigeria
National Petroleum Corporation, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue
Service, Nigeria Ports Authority, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, amongst
others shall comply with stipulated Financial Regulations and Administrative
Instructions in their remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.``
Buhari said that the Nigerian Armed Forces had shown renewed
commitment and made steady progress in the fight against Boko Haram.
According to him, Nigeria is collaborating with the Chad,
Niger, Cameroun and the Republic of Benin under the Lake Chad Basin Commission
to consolidate cross-border and international efforts at eradicating
insurgency.
He said that the G7 Nations had shown concern about the insurgency
in the North East and had promised to intervene to restore the destroyed
infrastructure in schools and hospitals, amongst other places.
The President said that he had since directed the front line
states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to articulate realistic assessments, costs
and locations of facilities on local government-by-local government basis for
submission to the President of the G7 for further verification.
``In addition, the requirements of the military have been
prepared by the Service Chiefs for the consideration of the G7 Nations.’’
The National Economic Council was established by the
provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), as
amended, Third Schedule, Part I, Section 153: Sub section (18 & 19).
NEC has the mandate to advise the President on the economic
affairs of the federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the
coordination of the economic programmes of the various tiers of government in
the federation.
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