The 36 State Governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will at its 13th teleconference meeting on Wednesday deliberate on the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, Loans to subnational governments from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Infrastructure refund to about five states and Pay As You Earn (PAYE 2).
The information was contained in the invitation sent to all the Governors by the NGF’s Director-General, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru.
He added that the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Sani Aliyu, will also address the Governors on the Risk Communication on Covid-19, the arm of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) which strives assiduously to further educate the Nigerian public on the existence and dangers of the Corona Virus.
The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr John Kayode Fayemi is also expected to brief the Governors on his key activities on behalf of the Forum, in the last fortnight, and open it up for deliberation.
According to the NGF Secretariat, Governor Fayemi will during the virtual meeting give an update on the Covid-19 pandemic, the States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Program (SFTAS), the recently struck partnership between the Forum and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on agriculture, Dr Fayemi’s recent meeting with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and another partnership between the Forum and the UNDP, which revolves mainly around Gender-Based Violence, among many others.
ALSO READ: How INEC will approach Edo, Ondo elections —Okoye
“Other issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic which will be put on the table for the Governors to debate include the Federal Government support to states.
“The Governor of Delta State, and Head of the NGF subcommittee on the Presidential Task Force on the pandemic, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, will also brief the Forum on the progress being made by the Task Force and whether or not the much-required synergy between the Federal and Subnational Governments is yielding any fruits.
“This 13th meeting which looks heavy on three sectors, namely Health, the Economy and Agriculture will accommodate three presentations. It is expected that the Governors will deliberate over the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, Loans to states from the CBN, the Infrastructure refund to about five states and PAYE 2.
“Apart from the presentation by Dr Sani Aliyu, Ms Yue Man Lee of the World Bank will make a presentation on the deadlines and verification of the SFTAS program in the states before Mr Olatunde Akande, the NGF Agric Advisor takes the stage for a presentation on the Anchor Borrowers program that he is midwifery, in which the NGF is partnering with the Central Bank as a facilitator,” the NGF’s Head of Media and Public Affairs, Mr Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo said in the statement.
and then