•27 states collect theirs
•ECA swells to $2.317bn
•FG, States, LGs share N609.959 billion for November

Nine states including Delta, Ogun and Adamawa are to wait for now before collecting their own share of the third tranche of the Paris Club refunds, The Nation leant last night.

However, 27 other states have collected their dues in what promises to be a rosy Christmas and New Year seasons for public servants in the benefitting states.

Much of the funds is expected to be utilized to offset arrears of workers’ salaries and pensions.

The release of the refunds to the states is in keeping with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that the states should get the money before Christmas to enable them pay workers and pensioners.

The Director Home Finance in the FMF, Mrs. Olubunmi Siyanbola, confirmed the payment yesterday at the end of the November 2017, Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja.

But she declined to name the states that were paid and those that are to wait.

A total N609.959 billion was shared by the three tiers of government at the FAAC meeting which was shifted from Friday to yesterday.

This is N77.25 billion more than what they shared in October.

The Nation gathered that there are some technical challenges and reconciliation matters to be resolved before the nine non-benefitting states can access their own refunds.

Some of the states are actually expected to refund excess cash previously paid to them.

But some oil producing states may get more than others having been short paid in the past.

Investigation showed that Delta, Ogun, Adamawa, and six others have some issues to clarify before drawing the final tranche of the refunds.

While a consultant has secured a court order in  August to freeze the bank account where Delta’s share of the refunds was domiciled, Ogun and Adamawa are said to have  been paid in excess of their dues and might need to reconcile their accounts.

A Federal Capital Territory High Court had frozen Delta account following an application by Mauritz Walton Nigeria over failure to pay consultancy fees.

The court mandated Zenith Bank to “create an escrow account for the frozen cash.”

A top source, privy to the controversy on the London-Paris Club said:” Some of the nine states have not met the requirements to qualify them for the drawing of the refunds. One of the key criteria is the reconciliation of the actual amount deducted and what such states deserve as refunds.

“Some of the states cannot even trace records much less reconciliation of records. The Federal Government is not a Father Christmas, they must come clean with their books.

“Some states have defaulted in paying the consultants they hired. Instead of paying these consultants the 5% in the agreement, they paid them about 2% to 2.5%. They are now forcing these consultants to go to court.

“Some of the state governors were embarrassed by the agreements entered into by their predecessors on London-Paris Club refunds.

“For instance, Abia, Kogi, Adamawa, Taraba , Delta and Zamfara opted to pay 10% of their refunds to consultants.  But the states now see this rate as being on the high side.

A few other states offered between 12 and 20 per cent to their consultants. The breakdown is as follows: Ondo (12%);  Niger, Enugu, Imo, Anambra and Ebonyi (15%); and Edo, Bayelsa, and Oyo( 20%).

Another source said: “Some states, like Ogun and Adamawa, are expected to make refunds following alleged excess payments made to them. But these states have disputed getting excess.

“The reconciliation of records will determine the truth or otherwise of the debit status of some of these states.”

Asked yesterday to shed light on why nine states were excluded from payment of the third tranche of the refunds, Siyanbola said  it was only “a matter of process that is holding” them back and stressed  that they would  get theirs as soon as the processes were completed.

Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/paris-club-refund-delta-ogun-adamawa-six-others-wait/amp/

Front Page: lalasticlala

These consultants are raking in cash. At least the states listed aren't as stupid as Akwa Ibom government agreeing to 30% of refund to be paid. Delta negioted with same consultants and agreed to 10%.

I'm sure they just looking to launder cash. It's strange they couldn't do this in-house. EFCC recieved the courts approval to freeze 7 accounts recently as well.

Who are this consultant
Who own all this money
The refund no da finish
This Nigerian govt is really a complete fraud

uglyafonja:
Who are this consultant

Who own all this money

The refund no da finish

This Nigerian govt is really a complete fraud

GBAM!

I guarantee you these are firms of top politicians masquerading as "consultants"
Nigeria is being robbed right left and center.