Fidelia Okafor.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele have been directed to act appropriately with the release of the 2nd tranche of the London-Paris Club refunds to states in order to ease their financial hardships.

President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive while addressing Governors at the National Economic Council meeting in Abuja.

The meeting, however, made a strong case for the settlement of unpaid salaries and pension liabilities of workers at the state level.

“I will not rest until I address those issues that affect our people. One of these basic things is the issue of salaries.  It is most important that workers are able to feed their families, pay rent and School fees, then other things can follow,” he said.

President Buhari, who praised the unity of the Forum of State Governors, thanked them profusely for their display of love and respect to him.

The Governors of Imo, Akwa-Ibom, Osun and Abia States thanked President Buhari for saving the states through the first tranche of the London-Paris Club refunds, while calling for the immediate release of the second one.

They also commended the trust the President reposed in the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, whom they said did not disappoint when he acted as President.

On behalf of his colleagues, the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Abdul-Aziz Yari of Zamfara State assured the President that they would continue to support his policies and actions for the nation’s best interest.