The thirty- six State Governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF will meet today to brainstorm on President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order, granting financial autonomy to the legislature and judiciary at the state level. The governors who will be holding their 16th NGF Teleconference Meeting since the outbreak of the Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic, are expected to come up with a position after receiving a report on the Executive Order #10 by the NGF Vice Chairman and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
Recall that after President Buhari signed the Executive Order into law, the federal government had immediately given a very strong warning that any state government which withholds funds meant for their respective Houses of Assembly and judiciary would get their allocations deducted at source by the Accountant General of the Federation and remitted directly to the affected state organs.
Also topping today’s agenda of the NGF meeting is the issue of Stamp duty collections that has become a burning national issue especially between the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, and the Nigerian Postal Service, NIPOST. The invitation to the governors intimating them of the meeting was issued by the Director-General of NGF, Asishana Bayo Okauru. According to a statement by the Head of Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, “the 16th NGF Teleconference Meeting is scheduled for tomorrow Wednesday 2nd September 2020 “The governors will be discussing the CACOVID Flag-Off and Distribution of Palliatives which has been Ongoing on a geopolitical regional basis, the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) which approval has been secured and then get an update on the N100m World Bank Support “A N1B FG COVID-19 Support to 32 States which has also been finalized will make it to the governors’ discussion table just as a report on the Executive Order #10 will be given by the Vice Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal “An award on wild polio which was given to the NGF during the weekend by Rotary International Polio Certification will feature, according to the invitation that was issued to governors by the Director-General of the NGF Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru.
“For over two years the controversy surrounding stamp duty collections had gone full circle and is now back to the governors’ purview where the recovery & other Legacy Issues will be discussed by the governors with a view to working with a Consortium of consultants. “As usual, Gov. Okowa’s Committee on PTF will give governors an Update just as a presentation by the World Bank on the SFTAS and its new deadlines will seal the proceedings for the day.”
By Henry Umoru,
Vanguard