The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is worried that more states may not be able to pay workers’ salaries if the revenue of the country continues to decline.
This was disclosed by the NGF Chairman, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State.
Yari made the statement while briefing newsmen on the resolutions of the forum at its meeting in Abuja late on Wednesday.
He said the forum discussed the economy and resolved to look for means to enhance states internally generated revenues as well to cut overhead cost, especially the salaries of political office holders.
The governor said the forum also resolved to diversify the country’s economy from petroleum to agriculture and mining.
Yari said: “The situation is no longer the same when we are used to paying N18,000 minimum wage when oil was $126 dollars.
“Now oil price is $41.
“We are coming together in a roundtable with President Muhammadu Buhari and his team of ministers, technocrats, economic experts to see how we can tackle our situation.”
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State told journalists that the country could not continue with a situation where expenditure was more than income.
“We are faced with a situation where we either have to reduce cost through salary reduction or downsize. All these we don’t want to do but prefer to have a roundtable with the President, ministers and economists to look for means of getting out of this problem,” he said.
Yari also disclosed that governors have thrown their weight behind the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the N1.04trillion sanction on MTN.
According to him, the governors agreed that the fine must be paid in full.
“The Forum also commended the NCC for its strict compliance and enforcement of the law with regards to the fine issued to MTN and advised the Federal Government to ensure prompt and full payment,” he said.
He said that they received briefing from the Acting Executive Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Professor Umar Dambata who explained the matter to them.
“Hence the MTN has accepted that they committed the offense and has apologised, and they are looking for leniency, we the governors’ forum decided to support the NCC to abide by the laws of the land and the laws of our land do not give leniency to deliberate offense to our nation,” the governors agreed.
