Friday, 21 August 2015

States get FG bonds to offset bank loans

RISING from its 60th meeting yesterday, the National Economic Council (NEC) confirmed that 11 states have been issued with the federal government bonds to offset loans owed to commercial banks.

The 11 states were among the 22 that applied for the bonds. The Council received briefings on development in the power sector from the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; Director-General of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Mr. Abraham Nwankwo; Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC ), Dr. Ibe Akachikwu Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah  Ahmed, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the NEC meeting which was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He was joined at the briefing by the Governor of Jigawa State, Badaru Abdullahi, Williie Obiano of Anambra and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State.

The development followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of plan to restructure states’ bank loans into Federal Government bonds to address fiscal imbalance.

Twenty-two states submitted reports and applied for the restructuring process. The proposal which seeks to convert and restructure the bad loans to bond with the assistance of the Debt Management Office (DMO) is expected have a tenor of between 15 – 20 years.

In a joint briefing, the governors said that the Director General of the Debt Management told NEC members that  it had requested states to reconcile figures with the banks which they have jointly authenticated as at June 30th this year.

As at August 14th, 2015, out of the 22 states that have applied, FGN bonds have been issued in respect of the loans of 11 states. The bonds were issued to 14 banks after submitting the reconciled figures and other required documents for the restructuring.

The governors also said that with this development, the DMO is currently reviewing the additional submissions by states in the second phase of the programme.

Obiano said the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance reported to the Council that the current excess crude proceeds stand at US$2.207 billion as at August 2015.

No comments:

Journalists Against Poverty Call for collaboration of regional government in the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation

Regional Coordinator of Journalist Against Poverty, Wale Elekolusi has called for the collaboration of regional government in stamping out ...