Paris Club Refund: FG Stops Deductions From States Allocation As NGF Gets New Chairman

By Ayodele Oni

Kwara State, Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is now the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, (NGF).

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, is the new Vice Chairman

Abdulrazaq emerged by consensus at a closed-door meeting of the Governors which was held in Abuja late Tuesday night.

He succeeds the outgoing Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, who became the Forum’s chairman in 2022.

The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi was the substantive Chairman of the NGF until his second term in office came to an end in 2022, paving the way for Tambuwal who was his deputy to succeed him.

At the late Tuesday’s meeting of the NGF, the governors were told that the Federal Government has agreed to stop deductions from the state governments’ accounts in order to meet the Local Government Councils London/Paris Club obligations.

The immediate past Chairman of the forum, Aminu Tambuwal, disclosed this while briefing governors across the 36 states in a meeting held in Abuja Tuesday night.

He said the Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed,  has also ensured a refund of the previous deductions from the respective states’ accounts.

Tambuwal said, “The Minister of Finance has granted the request of our forum to immediately stop further deductions from the accounts of States to meet Local Government Councils London Paris Club obligations and the monies so far deducted be paid back to the states.

“On the leadership of the forum, the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, emerged the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum through a consensus, and the Governor of Oyo State Seyi Makinde is now the Vice-Chairman.

“Members expressed satisfaction with the success of the just concluded Induction for new and returning Governors that took place between 14 and 19, May 2023.

The issue of Paris Club obligations and deductions had recently been the major cause of dispute between the Federal and state governments, following some unresolved issues over mode of repayment of the Paris Club fund.