"President Buhari also said that he will establish an
inter-ministerial committee to study a fiscal restructuring plan for the
federation, which was presented to him by the governors," said Shehu.
Nigerian
President Muhammadu Buhari speaks during a news conference after
meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Abuja, Nigeria March 2,
2016
Nearly two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states are struggling to pay civil servants' salaries despite receiving a government bailout, President Muhammadu Buhari's spokesman quoted him as saying on Thursday.
Nigeria, Africa's
top oil exporter and biggest economy, has been hit hard by the fall in
crude prices. Oil sales account for about 70 percent of government
revenues.
Several states around the country raised
money on the domestic bond market and from banks to fund infrastructure
projects at the peak of oil prices, but as crude prices have plunged
many have found themselves unable to pay bills or salaries.
Last
year several received financial assistance from the central bank and
Debt Management Office, as their combined debts including unpaid
salaries climbed to around 658 billion naira ($3.3bln).
Garba
Shehu, the president's spokesman, said Buhari met with governors on
Thursday at his residence in the capital, Abuja, to discuss the
financial problems in their states.
He said Buhari had expressed "great concern" that "nearly
two-thirds of states of the federation are still having difficulties
with salary payments despite the bailout funds provided to them by the
federal government".
"President Buhari
also said that he will establish an inter-ministerial committee to study
a fiscal restructuring plan for the federation, which was presented to
him by the governors," said Shehu.
He added
that Buhari said the committee would review the plan to improve the
finances of state governments and make recommendations on how the
proposals could be implemented.
On Monday the
finance ministry said the government would allow states to defer
deductions for loans in March so that they would have sufficient funds
to pay salaries.
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