FG Can’t Deduct From FAAC Fund Without States’ Consent – Chairman NGF

By Ayodele Oni

Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has risen stoutly in defence of the rejection of September Federal Allocation by States.

He said that the Federal Government cannot commence its plans to make deductions from the Federation Account for payment of consultants for the Paris Club Refund without the consent of States.

Governor Fayemi was quoted by  Channels Television of speaking in Abuja, while fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit.

The Federal Government plans to begin deduction from the Federation Account for payment of $418 million to private Consultants who took part in the Paris Club Refund.

This move by the Federal Government is projected to affect the recurrent expenditure of, at least, 33 States and they may not be able to pay the salaries of their workers.

For this reason, the Chairman of NGF stated that the State Governors are not in support of the decision.

According to him, a situation where the Federal Government makes arbitrary deductions without the input of State Governors was wrong.

He pointed out that State Governors have agreed not to collect any allocation from the Federation Allocation Account (FAAC) until the issues are resolved.

“We are dealing with the issue; we would find a resolution to it. As far as states are concerned, they do not accept that funds belonging to federation account could just be arbitrarily deducted without the input of the States.

“And that’s why we are insisting that until this is clarified, we would rather leave the money in the pool until we have all agreed on the direction.”