‘Alarmed’ Governors to meet over COVID-19 second wave as schools re-open

The Nigerian Governors Forum on Monday said it will meet on Wednesday to chart a way out of the second wave of the pandemic as schools reopen across the country.

In a statement signed by its spokesman Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the Governors forum said it was alarmed by the intensity of the second wave of the global pandemic and the country’s “tardy commencement of inoculation”.

Nigeria’s number of new cases has skyrocketed in recent weeks, seeing the nation cross the 100,000-mark for total infections.

On Sunday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reported 1,444 new cases and 15 deaths.

The NGF meeting will be the first for the Governors in 2021 and will be conducted virtually.

Other matters to be discussed at the meeting include revenue sharing and the water resources bill.

READ THE NGF FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

Press Release Monday 18/01/21

Alarmed by the intensity of the second wave of the Covid19 pandemic, and Nigeria’s tardy commencement of inoculation that is sweeping through countries globally, the 36 governors of the federation may finally come up with a definitive pronouncement, as they will be meeting on Wednesday January 20 to find the way forward for the country.

The meeting which will be the first this year, 2021, by the governors, will as usual, be virtual, in conformity with the Covid19 protocols. It is the 23rd of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum teleconferences. The meeting commences at 2pm prompt but Governors are expected to start logging on from 1pm.

The Governors’ PTF Committee, headed by Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, which is charged with the responsibility of liaising between the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid19 and the Governors’ Forum, will brief the Forum on what it needs to know on the vaccines and the way forward.

Governor Okowa is also expected to give a panoramic view of the second wave of the pandemic.

The Chairman of the Forum, and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr John Kayode Fayemi will brief the Forum on his meeting with the President as well as update the Forum on all pending matters that have remained inconclusive, flowing from the previous year’s meetings.

According to the invitation to governors issued by the Director General of the NGF Mr Asishana B Okauru, these matters include ALGON and FAAC deductions, external debts reconciliation (2002-2018), Stamp Duty collections in respect of the governors’ letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and another response to the Ministry of Water Resources regarding the lingering Water Resources Bill among others. All disbursements of funds to states on the three tranches of PAYE will also be tabled.

Governors will also be updated on the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability program for results (SFTAS) for the preceding year, 2020.

As is customary, if time permits, there will be three presentations; The Water Resources minister will brief Governors on its World Bank Support; a feedback from the Federal Government on the Medium and Long Term National Development Agenda; and enhancing IGR through a harmonized Traffic Management System by Dimensions Information Technology, LLC, a non-governmental actor which is seeking the nod of state governors.

Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo

Head, Media and Public Affairs

Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat. (Channels TV)