Buhari President urges governors to pay owed salaries

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged governors who are owing workers in their states to settle the outstanding salaries.

Buhari further challenged the governors to find means of settling the issue which has brought untold hardship to thousands of families.

The President made the calls on Monday, June 29, 2015, during the inauguration of the National Economic Council in Abuja.

Buhari also said that since the task of ensuring growth, job creation and equity, “is enormous, leaders must kick-start the process by cultivating a culture of prudent management of resources at all levels of government.”

The President said:

“The states are also encouraged to embark on projects that will meet immediate needs of the people taking account of available resources. I therefore urge council members to consider, as a matter of urgency, exploring efficient means of gradually liquidating all unpaid salaries of members of staff, which have brought untold hardship to thousands of families.”

“I would like also, as a former governor myself to remind us of the need for neighbouring states to cooperate closely on projects such as interstate and feeder roads, soil erosion, desertification and other developmental programmes. Our country is one and we who have the responsibility to run it must lead by example. As far as it is possible, there should be distance between politics and development programmes.”

Buhari also assured that the Federal Government under his administration would ensure more accountability and transparency in the distribution of Federal funds.