Buhari Pledges Support for Niger Delta Devt, Signs University of Petroleum Bill ...Bemoans Plight Of State Civil Servants

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja pledged continued support for the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region.

Buhari, according to a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, gave the assurance at a brief ceremony in the State House where he signed the bill establishing the University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, into law.

He quoted the president as saying “this administration is fully committed to supporting the Niger Delta in its endeavours to achieve socio-economic development.”

Shehu also said the president appealed to all communities in the region to strive for peace through dialogue in resolving all conflicts not only among them but also with business entities and the authorities.

"With the signing of the bill into law, the path has been cleared for the establishment of the specialised university in the Niger Delta, charged with training and research in petroleum technologies," the statement added.

Meanwhile, President  Buhari on Tuesday expressed concern over increasing complaints and agitations by workers in states over unpaid salaries and allowances, despite bailout funds released by the Federal Government.

Receiving a delegation of governors led by the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Abdul’Aziz Abubakar Yari, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, he stated that the plight of workers in the states need urgent attention as many could barely survive.

A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, quotes the President as saying; “How can anyone go to bed and sleep soundly when workers have not been paid their salaries for months.

“I actually wonder how the workers feed their families, pay their rents and even pay school fees for their children,’’ he said.

Buhari told the governors that two out of the three-pronged focus of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to secure the country and fight corruption had received some commendable reviews by the people, noting that the challenge in payment of salaries in states had taken a toll on the people.

“God has been merciful in hearing the prayers of his servants so the rainy season has been good, you can ask the Kebbi State governor on this, and our enormous food importation bill has gone down.’’

The President said he has instructed all government agencies to comply with the Treasury Single Account, TSA, in order to ensure more transparency and prudence in accounting for the revenues of the government and the sharing of entitlements with states.

He then stated that the Federal Government and state executives would need to work closer together to ameliorate the situation of workers across the country.

In his remark, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, said the various interventions by the Federal Government, which include the bailouts, were judiciously utilized by the states, stressing that the governors inherited backlog of unpaid salaries and huge debts portfolios on assumption of office.

“We are concerned with the situation in our states, and we are trying our best to manage the resources,’’ he said.

Yari noted that the bailout funds, and part of the fallout from the London-Paris Club that had been received by the states, were properly expended to alleviate the plight of workers, but more had to be done.