Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Nigerian governors from the 36 states of the federation will meet on Wednesday to debate the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), financial autonomy for state Judiciary and Legislature among other issues.
The spokesman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the issues will form part of the forum’s 32nd teleconference meeting scheduled for. July 14.
The statement reads: “Governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, will be giving their final blessings to the legislative and judicial autonomy at the sub-national level when they meet tomorrow Wednesday 14th July in their 32nd NGF Teleconference meeting.
“Prominent on the meeting’s agenda, as reflected in the invitation to the meeting, issued by NGF’s Director-General, Asishana Bayo Okauru, is the mention of Executive Order 10 and a review of the Memorandum of Action, which was signed months ago after a series of meetings between the governors, members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Parliamentary Staff Association o Nigeria (PASAN) and the Minister of Labour.
“Since the last meeting, more states, including Sokoto State, have granted autonomy to their legislatures and judiciaries in compliance with the demands of the two arms of government.
“The Governors are also expected to discuss the maiden meeting of the National Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (NPRGS), where committees will be considered and request for nominees into the Technical Working Group (TWG) will also feature.
“This is in line with the new thinking among governors that pro-poor policies deserve prominence in the current governance structure.
“Other issues of national importance to feature in the meeting include the contentious Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) where governors will seek solutions to the next steps on the unresolved issues.
“The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr John Kayode Fayemi is also expected to brief the meeting on the activities of the weeks after the last meeting which includes the shuttle diplomacy he embarked upon to the ambassadors of Canada, China and South Africa.
“The Transportation Commissioners of Nigeria and officials from the Nigeria Printing and Minting Company, on the other hand, also paid courtesy calls on the NGF Chairman last week. Dr Fayemi will brief his colleagues on those visits.
“The Governor Ifeanyi Okowa Committee on Covid 19, a regular feature of the meeting, just like the SFTAS update will be presented to the Governors, just as the NEC agenda for the following day will be discussed.
“There will be three presentations before the Governors, among which are the Advocacy on Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act: Sensitization, Domestication and Financing by the Chairman, House Committee on Disability, the Diversification and Non-oil Export Opportunities for States Post-Covid-19 – Policy Development Facility (PDF) Bridge Programme and the Deployment of Digital Infrastructure for Human Capital Development by the CEO, Suburban Fibre Company, among others.
“The meeting which is virtual will commence at 2pm but Governors are advised to log on at 1pm, according to the NGF DG.”
