Buhari Govt Withholding Paris Club Refund To Starve Ekiti – Fayose

By

 John Andah

 -

June 22, 2018

President Buhari is seeking a second term in office (photo credit: TVC)

Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of intentionally withholding the release of the Paris Club refund to states.

The governor claims that this is being done to prevent Ekiti from using the fund to pay arrears of workers’ salary before the July 14 governorship election in the state.

Fayose said Ekiti and other states had been cleared to get the refund, but the federal government refused to release it to the states because of Ekiti election as it did in Kogi.

“If it is released to other states without the inclusion of Ekiti, people will suspect the FG of playing politics with it. The FG used that tactics in Kogi to assist the APC candidate to win,” he said in a statement.

“I am using this forum to inform Ekiti people that the FG is punishing and depriving them of their entitlement because of politics. The FG thinks that if I am not able to pay the four months salaries owed the workers, they will vote for APC.

“Ekiti people are not fools, they know that the Fayemi administration plunged the state into debt. Fayemi left two months salary unpaid and N1.2bn is being deducted every month from Ekiti allocations to service the debt.

“So far, N35.34bn has been deducted from allocations coming to Ekiti to service debts owed by Fayemi administration.

“If I have N35.34bn, I will not owe workers and I will be able to take care the needs of the people. Ekiti people are not fools and will not again accept APC. They know that the Fayemi administration is the cause of the unpaid salary