Revenue Shortfall: Fresh crisis brews between Jonathan and govs on September 29, 2013 at 1:09 am in Headlines
*Allegations of manipulation of economy against Finance Minister
By Soni Daniel

Feelers from some state governors at the weekend suggest that unless President Goodluck Jonathan issues an urgent directive to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to release funds due to the 36 states, the President risks further isolation from this group of elected public officers.

State governors, according to Sunday Vanguard investigations, are angry with the Federal Government over the non-remittance of their three months’ allocations in full by the Finance Ministry.

Although all the governors in the country are not pleased with this financial situation, only seven of them, who are with the breakaway faction of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, have openly cried out, saying their governments are experiencing financial incapacitation.
However, PDP governors still loyal to Jonathan and the Bamanga Tukur-led faction have opted to “suffer in silence” over the withheld funds, believing that the situation would be addressed with the urgency it deserves.
Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that they have also chosen to tolerate the situation so as not to be seen as disloyal to the President and the party.
A northern governor, whose state has virtually been grounded as a result of inadequate funds to meet the obligations of his administration, confirmed that most “of us are quite upset over the financial distress imposed on us by the Federal Government.”

The governor, who is one of the staunchest supporters of Jonathan and who insisted on speaking in confidence, said: “If urgent steps were not taken by the Presidency to put an end to the emerging financial crisis in the states, more governors would be forced to distance themselves from Aso Rock Villa and the Finance Minister.

“We are afraid that if the current situation, which we believe is artificially created so as to punish some states and their governors is not stopped, many governors would be left with no option than to seek redress.

“It is difficult for the Finance Minister to convince us that after generating N1.05 trillion in July this year, a figure that was well over the projection by government for the month, states could not be paid their full allocations for the month.

“As we speak, we have not been paid for August and September while our people are anxiously looking up to us as governors to give them dividends of democracy through provision of life-changing projects.

“In almost all the states, the salaries and emoluments of civil and public servants have not been paid while contractors are on edge waiting to do battle with the governors.

“If we may ask, where has all the money gone since Okonjo-Iweala keeps insisting that the economy is robust and kicking?”.

Another governor from the South, who narrated the situation in his state to Sunday Vanguard, noted that he would have to stay away from his state for as long as the Federation Allocations were withheld so as not to run into trouble with contractors.

The governor said, “The financial position is so bad that I have to avoid going to my office daily because contractors are waiting for me. I have no genuine excuse to give since they won’t believe that for the past three months we have not been given our full remittances by the centre.
“This is what we have been exposed to by the Federal Government even with increased revenue confirmed by the Central Bank of Nigeria accruing to the purse of the government.

“Nigerians should be more vigilant by asking the Finance Minister where our money is being kept. Let them tell Nigerians what happened to the balance of the N1.05 trillion that accrued to Nigeria after N792billion was shared to states for July.

“We have made the point that it is either they are hiding our money for 2015 elections or they are deliberately manipulating the economy to give Nigerians the impression that all is well when the nation is broke.”

But, last Thursday, the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Samuel Otorm, insisted that the nation’s economy was very sound and making progress on all fronts.

The minister asked Nigerians to ignore those in the ‘New PDP’, who allege that something is wrong with the economy but carefully avoided saying why monthly allocations had not been remitted in full to states by the Federal Government.

LMAO! Let the retardeen even bankrupt the economy with the fat pig Okonjwo Iweala sef! World Bank Accountant! We will need all the oil from Bayelsa to get going again. We will either sell the entire oil in the state to become solvent or something drastic! LOL

madam_oringo: LMAO! Let the retardeen even bankrupt the economy with the fat pig Okonjwo Iweala sef! World Bank Accountant! We will need all the oil from Bayelsa to get going again. We will either sell the entire oil in the state to become solvent or something drastic! LOL

U r a big fool

A lot of people can see the impending doom.

the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Samuel Otorm, insisted that the nation’s economy was very sound and making progress on all fronts. The minister asked Nigerians to ignore those in the ‘New PDP’, who allege that something is wrong with the economy [size=14pt]but (he) carefully avoided saying why monthly allocations had not been remitted in full to states by the Federal Government[/size].

Honourable Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Samuel Otorm, you still believe Nigerians are naive? Very poor rebuttal indeed!

Akpa ife:
U r a big fool

Seriously?? You didnt read the post and went ahead to attack the first comment!?

Serlzy, you and your flat headed brothers need mass Castration!

Nigeria is not broke.Am sure the clueless man is saving more money to buy more shoes before going back to otuoke.

No more fun. This is getting serious.

.................and so shall it be until 2015 except nigerians opt out of retardocracy

This is a good development! Let the states begin to learn how to be self-dependent. Now, we know why a section of the country are proponents of "One Nigeria". They cannot sustain themselves without the free oil money from the FG.
Lagos state govt survived without allocations from the FG, when Obasanjo witheld it for over a year.
On fiscal federalism we stand!!

35 plots of land for sale in an industrial layout in port harcut.kindly call Ernest on 08030880741 if u are intrested.

touch4mony: 35 plots of land for sale in an industrial layout in port harcut.kindly call Ernest on 08030880741 if u are intrested.

Portha what? I will buy those plots after 2015 when peace returns to Portharcut. Meanwhile, why would you advertise plots of land under a topic that talks about revenue shortfall Omo, na negative correlation!

I still don't understand y Nigerians still give attention to these good for nufin nPDP governors. They have no respect for Nigeria n Nigerians. Every becker, vexing and name calling is all for selfish reason. I am not saying GEJ or NOI are good people but dey both have changed the "status quo" in government and these greedy SOBs have not bin able to catch up with dere 21st century politics so the cry out to Nigerians dat are as st*upid as dey are. I am not askin u to accept my views but b4 u judge ask urself, how has these nPDP governors or sympathisers actually help impact real change to Nigeria. This is not about GEJ/NOI incompetence, its about lack of money to loot for themselves. So please b4 u start insulting me go and findout their true intentions, I bet u will be disappointed u ever trusted them (nPDP).

Brimmie:

Seriously?? You didnt read the post and went ahead to attack the first comment!?

Serlzy, you and your flat headed brothers need mass Castration!

The Divide and conquer rule. by insulting him cos he is igbo has just shown how these people are winning, they constantly use people like u against urselves. Without giving any views of ur own u went ahead to stereotype against a whole race n insulted dem jt because 1 individual called them "fools". am really sad for my children, cos we still have people like u teaching people how to hate his fellow man just cos... I bet u really don't know y u hate dem. Do ur religion leaders know u carry such hate in u?

When Tunde Bakare said it's the president is on a mission to bankrupt the nation, people called him all sorts of unprintable names. Now, before our very own eyes, what he said is coming to pass.

The govt can't live up to it's financial obligations
We are borrowing every now and then from China
We run a huge deficit budget
Yet they tell us our economy is more robust that ever!!!

How do these people manage to sleep at night with all the lies they tell It really boggles the mind doesn't it?

Infact, I blame OBJ for all this. Ask me why? This is the nemesis of FESTAC 77.......detail later

[s]

gerald09:

The Divide and conquer rule. by insulting him cos he is igbo has just shown how these people are winning, they constantly use people like u against urselves. Without giving any views of ur own u went ahead to stereotype against a whole race n insulted dem jt because 1 individual called them "fools". am really sad for my children, cos we still have people like u teaching people how to hate his fellow man just cos... I bet u really don't know y u hate dem. Do ur religion leaders know u carry such hate in u?

[/s]

You Are Not Making Sense!

Brimmie: [s][/s]

You Are Not Making Sense!

Only u will think that

gerald09: I still don't understand y Nigerians still give attention to these good for nufin nPDP governors. They have no respect for Nigeria n Nigerians. Every becker, vexing and name calling is all for selfish reason. I am not saying GEJ or NOI are good people but dey both have changed the "status quo" in government and these greedy SOBs have not bin able to catch up with dere 21st century politics so the cry out to Nigerians dat are as st*upid as dey are. I am not askin u to accept my views but b4 u judge ask urself, how has these nPDP governors or sympathisers actually help impact real change to Nigeria. This is not about GEJ/NOI incompetence, its about lack of money to loot for themselves. So please b4 u start insulting me go and findout their true intentions, I bet u will be disappointed u ever trusted them (nPDP).

do u need glasses? Go back and read the headline.

gerald09: I still don't understand y Nigerians still give attention to these good for nufin nPDP governors. They have no respect for Nigeria n Nigerians. Every becker, vexing and name calling is all for selfish reason. I am not saying GEJ or NOI are good people but dey both have changed the "status quo" in government and these greedy SOBs have not bin able to catch up with dere 21st century politics so the cry out to Nigerians dat are as st*upid as dey are. I am not askin u to accept my views but b4 u judge ask urself, how has these nPDP governors or sympathisers actually help impact real change to Nigeria. This is not about GEJ/NOI incompetence, its about lack of money to loot for themselves. So please b4 u start insulting me go and findout their true intentions, I bet u will be disappointed u ever trusted them (nPDP).

Agreed these governors want to loot but the point is where is the money at the moment?

Are we really going broke?

Pls can somebari borrow me 2K?

I will return it when FG pay the balance of our state allocation.

abeg wetin b all dis na

Let me answer for the FG. The nation is broke. Now state Govs go back to your states and use what you have been given.

We have calculated it and what the governors have been given is more than enough to cater for the legitimate business of the states.

So in the short term, suspend looting of your state funds. Concentrate on the legitimate business of government for now, when situation improves and there is more money, you can re-commence looting of your state funds.

No one can convince me for example that 14billion naira is not enough for Amaechi to cater for the legitimate business of Rivers State in one month, afterall we can't see any magnificent capital project going on in Rivers State as at today.

Signed
Coordinating and anti corruption of Minister our your nation.

Kamanda: Pls can somebari borrow me 2K?

I will return it when FG pay the balance of our state
allocation.

wen u go return am?

Jonathan should not realease any funds to tiffs

“It is difficult for the Finance Minister to convince us that after generating N1.05 trillion in July this year, a figure that was well over the projection by government for the month, states could not be paid their full allocations for the month.

Response needed from the Finance Minister.

these governors crying blue murder are the same that have refused to give local government thiers.in my state 100 million is allocated for my local government but the governor will only give the chairman 35 million.u see how painfull it is .

It is indeed unfortunate that this administration has made it a habit to be keeping people in the dark concerning matters affecting the common man and some sentimentalists either blindly supporting such by trying to justify the unjustifiable or taking it to be a kind of a joke.

I dont give a damn

This is why members of naug shall walk from office to office bruising on govt official heads to get things redressed. Bet on that! We shall know where the money is.