Paris Club refund: We’ll not accept arbitrary deductions from FG – Govs

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) will not accept arbitrary deductions of funds from the federation account.

NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, said this in Abuja on Tuesday addressing newsmen on the sidelines of the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit.

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The forum had consistently opposed the deduction of $418m from the local governments’ accounts to pay private consultants for the Paris Club refund who had claimed the amount as a percentage for the payment of services rendered to the state and local governments.

The NGF had requested a forensic audit over the consultants’ claim.

Fayemi said: “As far as states are concerned, they do not accept that funds belonging to the federation account are deducted arbitrarily without their input.

“We’re dealing with the issue. You’ll find the resolution to it.

“That’s why they (governors) have insisted until this is clarified, we’ll rather leave the money in the poll until we all agree.”