Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state and chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum has disclosed that Nigeria’s 36 states are in debt to the tune of N658 billion or $3.3 billion.

Yari spoke after a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the 36 state governors in Abuja, today, the first time that such a meeting would take place, since 29 May when Buhari was inaugurated.

Yari who dismissed the impression that the states had come to the Federal government, cap in hand, said that the states were only calling for strict adherence to constitutional provisions in relation to financial dealings to enable them to address economic challenges, including unpaid salaries of workers.

He said: “In our meeting today with the President, we identified the problems and we are working towards addressing, solving the problems and not how to share money.

“At least, we need to work faster and rescue (the economy) and I want you to note that the economic crisis is not limited to the states. The states are not as bad as that. We made this very clear to the President that the total debts of the states, including the Federal Capital Territory, is N658 billion when put together.

“But the domestic debt of the Federal Government is N5.5 trillion. Therefore, we appreciate that all of us are in a problem.

“The Federal Government cannot pay salaries of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies and the states cannot pay salaries of teachers and other workers.“

He said one way out of the crisis would be for banks to extend loans made to states to up to 20 years, he said today.