Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has said that, currently, about 30 states including the federal government, appeared to be ?broke?, since, according to him, they were either not able to fund recurrent cost ? alongside ?payment of salaries or had to borrow money to pay.
He spoke at the weekend, in Lagos, at the presentation and launch of a book entitled: ?Delta Beyond Oil: A legacy of Sustainable Development?, written by Editor-In-Chief of The Nation newspaper, Mr. Sam Omatseye, at a forum organised by Nigeria Institute of Directors.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, Governor Udughan said that it was necessary for the Federal Government to ensure stimulus package for states and local governments as a quick measure to bail out the governments from the present economic quagmire.
He contended, however, that the stimulus package had to be discussed and attended to quickly because, according? to him, currently about 30 states, including the federal government, were either not able to fund recurrent cost including payment of salaries or have to borrow money to that effect.
?I stand with those asking for stimulus package for the states and local governments. This has to be discussed and attended to quickly?, he stated.
Uduaghan said that the failure of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre to grow the nation?s economy to the desired height was attributable to lack of national consensus.
His words: ?I am sure many of us in the audience will recall several attempts that were made by the PDP government at the centre to ensure that we build up our fiscal buffers, reduce our foreign debt, invest in foreign assets through sovereign wealth fund and have something for the rainy day, but somehow lack of national consensus made that impossible.?
?Is it a PDP failure alone? No, it is not. It is a collective failure. Many chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who are basking in the glow of winning power at the centre were main the actors in the politics that stalled further progress in that direction,? he said.
He therefore enjoined the in-coming government at the federal level to forge a national consensus on economy direction, if Nigeria must move forward.
A cross section of prominent Deltans at the event to included Pa Philip Asiodu, Professor Grace Alele-Williams and Pa Sam Amuka of the Vanguard newspaper amongst others graced the occasion.
In another development, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has commissioned the State Governor?s lodge Lagos, the statement said.
Uduaghan said that he had to undertake the project to give the state a befitting place in Lagos, disclosing that ?the lodge is not his personal building, but a state government project and would be use by successive governments.?
