Lagos-state announced plans
to float a new bond of N43 billion in the Capital Market in 2016 as part of
move to finance its budget deficit.
The Lagos State Government
said it inherited a debt of N430 billion from the administration of Babatunde
Raji Fashola.
Commissioner for Finance,
Mustapha Akinkunmi however said the debt was not a big burden for the state as
the government has set money aside to liquidate a fraction of it.
This year, the government
is paying about N78 billion to the creditors.
He said the debt profile of
the state is sustainable according to international rating, adding that
adequate plans have been put in place to pay back the state’s debt which is a
long term debt.
The state government is
borrowing N119.7 billion to finance its budget deficit for this year. Out of
the N662.588 billion budget for this year, the total revenue is put at N542.873
billion while the balance of N119.715 billion to be funded through borrowing.
Akinkunmi, who spoke in
Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria while answering questions on how government
would finance the deficit said very soon, the N43 billion bond would be floated
to raise money to fund the deficit.
He said payment for the
bond is going to be on long term basis, adding that the government had
earmarked N12 billion to service part of the N119.7 billion to be borrowed to
service the budget.
Fashola must have inherited it
ReplyDeleteLagos can always raise money
ReplyDelete