President Bola Tinubu has broken the silence after some governors denied receiving the ₦573 billion grants to cushion hardship in their states.
Naijablitznews.com recalled that on Sunday August 2, 2024, President Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast to Endbadgovernance protesters disclosed that the Federal Government has disbursed ₦570bn to the 36 states.
He said: “Also, more than ₦570bn has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens, while 600,000 nano-businesses have benefitted from our nano-grants. An additional 400,000 more nan0-businesses are expected to benefit”.
However Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and some other governors said they never received such grants which has now sparked controversy over the payment.
President Tinubu through his Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has now addressed the controversy.
The Presidency clarified that the ₦573 billion is a loan from the World Bank, not a grant.
Ajayi, explained that the loan is part of the Covid-19 livelihoods support scheme under the NG-CARES Programme funded by the World Bank.
“They are not denying. They are saying it is not a grant, a dash from federal government. That it is a loan from World Bank
“I think the issue is not whether it is a loan or grant. The point, as clearly stated in the President’s broadcast is that the states got money and the amount, which is the second tranche under the Covid-19 livelihoods support scheme under the NG-CARES Programme funded by the World Bank, is N570 billion.
“The fact of the matter is states are getting needed support and funding to improve the lives of the people. Meanwhile the World Bank facility is guaranteed by the federal government because every multilateral loans must have Sovereign guarantee which means the loan will be paid by the FG in case the sub-nationals are unable to pay.
“There should be no hue and cry by any governor really if the objective is to serve the people and make life better for the masses. The President is elected to make life better for citizens same way the governors are elected to do same in their respective states.
“President Tinubu will continue to work to expand the economy and enable shared prosperity for all Nigerians. He considers the Governors as partners in progress and in the job of nation-building.
“What can’t be denied is that the states have more resources to deliver better service to the people, especially in critical areas of education, healthcare, security and physical infrastructure like roads among others.
“I think the issue here is one or two governors trying to reduce the matter to semantics. It is much more than that. The fact remains that the federal government paid the states the money and the N573 billion is actually the second tranche. The first tranche was paid sometimes in October or November last year”, he said