NGF insists on legal solution to the $418 million Paris Club fee

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has insisted that the Federal Government’s planned payment of a $418 million Paris Club Refund fee to some consultants be resolved in court.

The NGF also reiterated its opposition to the Federal Government’s decision to privatize ten National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs), arguing that the matter should be decided by the courts.
These are among the resolutions passed at the NGF’s teleconference meeting on Tuesday.

The resolutions are contained in a communiqué issued by the meeting’s Chairman and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, at the conclusion of the meeting.

“With regard to the $418 million Paris Club Refund and promissory notes issued to consultants by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office (DMO), the forum remains steadfast in exploring all legal channels available to it in order to ensure that state resources are not unjustly or illegally paid to a few in the guise of consultancies.”

“Following its advocacy that the proposed privatization of ten National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) be stopped, the forum instructed its lawyers to approach the Federal High Court, which has issued a court order restraining all parties in the suit from taking any step or action that will make or render the outcome of the motion on notice seeking interlocutory injunction null and void.”

“The effect of the court’s order is that respondents cannot proceed with the proposed sale of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHCL) power plants until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”

The NGF stated that it was collaborating with the Federal Government and its agencies to assist victims of flooding in most parts of the country.

“The forum is monitoring the flood situation across the country and collaborating with the Federal Government, through the National Economic Council (NEC), and in collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development (FMHDSD), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Finance, Budget, and National Planning (FMF).”

“Following discussions between sub-sovereigns at the recently concluded 2nd African Sub-Sovereign Government Network (AfSNET) conference, the forum agreed to pursue support for enhanced dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration between sub-sovereign governments around intra-African trade, investment, industrialization, and development through its membership on the Forum of Regions of Africa (FORAF) and its partnership with the African Export-Import (AFREXIM) Bank.”

“Members were also briefed by the World Bank Task Team Leader (TTL), Professor Foluso Okunmadewa, on the desired restructuring of the $750 million Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Program (CARES) programme to respond to Nigeria 2022 Flood Response after discussions with states and the National Economic Council (NEC) Ad-hoc Committee on flooding.”