Loveth Okoli
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will soon meet with representatives of state governors, the Finance Minister and Central Bank Governor to resolve the issues on repayment of budget support facility.
Osinbajo’s spokesman Laolu Akande fielded questions from State House correspondents after a virtual National Executive Council (NEC) meeting presided over by the vice president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the governors restated their request to defer the repayment of the budget support facility that had been enjoyed by the state governments.
“The chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum also reported to the council that there have been engagements between himself, the finance minister and the central bank governor on how to resolve the issue.
“The finance minister and the CBN governor had indicated previously that the repayment of the facility ought to resume in May.
“And today, the CBN governor also made a distinction between, in his opinion, what has to be repaid immediately and the commercial loans.
“And he also raised the implications for audit; he did say there are implications if the loans are not repaid timeously.
“So, the vice president will be holding a meeting very soon that will include the representatives of the governors, the finance minister and the CBN governor to find a way to resolve the issue.’’
He said that the request and the desire of the governors to have an extension for the repayment and the concerns of the CBN would be factored.
According to him, the CBN is concerned that some of these commercial loans are due for repayment and do have implications for audit of the bank’s that have given out these loans.
“So, hopefully, very soon the vice president will be meeting with all the people involved to sort out this matter,’’ he said.
