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Zamfara State Governor and immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), AbdulAziz Yari, has stated that the new Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit(NFIU) guidelines which imposes restrictions on the powers of states and local governments joint accounts would cripple the health and education programmes of states.
Yari stated this in Abuja on Wednesday while addressing newsmen after a meeting of the Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF), where Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State was elected as the new Chairman.
Recall that NFIU recently released guidelines to banks that prevents governors from interfering with statutory allocations accruing to the local government directly from the federation account and imposed a daily N500,000 cash transaction limit on all 774 local governments.
Yari argued that “the new guidelines have no legal basis under the NFIU Act and are contrary to constitutional provisions which put the state joint local government account under the legislation of the State House of Assembly.
“The guidelines will also be determined to the interest of states and local governments by crippling programmes such as the universal basic education programme, primary health care under one roof, as well as the payment of salaries of teachers, medical doctors and health workers among others which are primarily funded by the state government.”
He also stated that the governors resolved to hold a meeting with President Muhammadu buhari to find a real and effective solution to the security situation in the country.
Speaking, Fayemi, who is taking over from Yari stated that his tenure would build on the successes recorded by his predecessor, adding that he will work with other arms of government to build a stronger nation.
“We are committed to a strong partnership with the federal government,” Fayemi said.
Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, was elected Vice Chairman.
Their tenure will end in 2021.
