Recession: Nigeria Seeks Reduced Dues To UN
In view of the economic recession in Nigeria, the country has asked the United Nations to review its assessed contributions to the organisation for 2016.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Winifred Oyo-Ita made the call at the UN when she met with the Chairman of Fifth Committee, Kingston Rhodes.
Nigeria has paid its Regular Assessed Contribution and Peacekeeping Contribution to the UN up to 2015.
But the country is now expected to pay outstanding contributions of N10. 2 dollars.
Nigeria can’t pay current dues due to recession
“Due to recession, we want something done to review our dues and we want the UN to reconsider our assessment due to the realities of the time.
“What Nigeria is being asked to pay now is on the high side. Nigeria is committed to paying its contributions but we want some considerations.
“We want something to be done to re-adjust our scale,” Oyo-Ita said.
Nigeria’s scale of assessment for 2013 to 2015 was 0.119 before the re-basing of the country’s economy in 2014.
But with the re-basing of the Gross Domestic Product to $500m, Nigeria’s assessment increased to 0.209 from 2016 to 2018.
The UN is aware of Nigeria’s problems
In his response, Rhodes told Oyo-Ita that the UN is aware of Nigeria’s economic problem. But he said there is a new system in place as the General Assembly Resolution has cancelled the annual review of scale of assessment.
The Fifth Committee Chairman explained that the Resolution now established three years minimum period of scale of assessment.
According to him, Nigeria’s scale will be due for review in 2018, which is the next scale year.
Based on the reports of the Fifth Committee, the General Assembly considers and approves the budget of the organisation.
The financial state of the UN as provided by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon indicated a drop in the regular budget assessments.
Records confirmed that 126 member states had paid their Regular budgets, while 67 had yet to pay as at October 5, 2016.
With regard to the peacekeeping operation budget, 25 member states have paid their contributions as at September 30, 2016.
