Since the index case of coronavirus in Nigeria, the Nigeria Governors Forum has not rested on its oars in terms of galvanising its members to fight the spread of the deadly pandemic, JONATHAN NDA-ISAIAH writes.
The Covid -19 pandemic has brought the world to its knees and Nigeria is not an exception. Since the outbreak of the disease, the federal government has been leading from the front with the constitution of the Presidential Task Force on Covid -19.
Similarly, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has also not rested on its oars. Usually, the NGF meets once in a month. However, since the pandemic the forum has adopted a teleconferencing model meeting on a weekly basis.
It is instructive to note that as at April 12, The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced five new COVID-19 cases and 15 recoveries. In a tweet on Sunday night, the agency said two were recorded in Lagos, another two in Kwara and one in Katsina.This brings Nigeria’s current total to 323. Of that figure, 85 persons have been discharged.
While the federal government has announced a total lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and FCT, some governors have also lockdown their states to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
The NGF has also been leading from the front to curb the spread of the virus and cushion the economic effects of the pandemic in the states.
First, to mitigate the effect of the Covid -19 on the economy, governors have called for a speedy arrangement to suspend all State deductions and restructure all debt service payments on federal government and CBN-owned debts.
This is contained in a communique at the end of the 2nd Covid -19 teleconference meeting of the NGF.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the federal government had announced in September last year it would begin the deduction of the N614 billion Budget Support Facility it gave to 35 sates. The government had in 2017 given out the loans to 35 states as conditional budget support facility provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), to help them pay owed salaries, gratuities and pensions in their various states.
The loans were provided by the CBN at nine per cent interest rate, with a grace period of two years, while the federal ministry of finance disbursed the funds, with documented approval by the Presidency. It was only Lagos State that did not access the loan.
However, the governors after their meeting sought for the suspension of the repayment of the loans as part of urgent fiscal measures to safeguard the liquidity of state governments.
Chairman of NGF and Ekiti State governor , Kayode Fayemi said “We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today deliberated on the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and resolved as follows.
“Following a briefing from the minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning on fiscal measures taken by the federal government to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Forum called for urgent fiscal measures to safeguard the liquidity of state governments, including the acceleration of an arrangement to suspend all state deductions and restructure all debt service payments on federal government and CBN-owned debts.
“Members also received briefing from the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq on stimulus incentives from the federal government to support vulnerable households across States cope with the expected loss of income and livelihoods in the coming months.
“Governors committed to leading the effort through state focal persons in charge of social protection to ensure that palliatives including food and cash transfers reach the most vulnerable population in all states.
“Members also discussed the legality or otherwise of lockdowns in other states around the country and resolved to maintain the status quo until the chairman and governor of Ekiti State resolves the matter with the Presidential Committee on Covid-19.
“Finally, members also resolved to leverage on the lockdown situations to send essential food items across borders as part of the palliatives so that perishables produced in one state get to states that need them unhindered,” he added.
Secondly, governors have stressed to need for states to give palliatives as in their own opinion they are best positioned to administer the palliatives to migitiate the effect of the lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
Fayemi, after their 3rd teleconference meeting briefed his colleagues on ongoing coordination with the World Bank to mobilise support for states to mitigate the economic and social cost of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ongoing plans he noted include accelerated disbursement of existing and new financing for states under the State Fiscal, Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme-for-Results, and mitigation and recovery support for expenditures to protect livelihoods, support local economic activity and recovery over the next 18 months to 2 years.
He said the Forum expressed appreciation to the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) set up by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for their pledge to support states increase their capacity to mitigate the spread of the virus and care for confirmed cases through the construction of isolation centres and the distribution of personal protective equipment to states.
According to him, members underscored the need for CACOVID to work directly with the states in the distribution of palliatives.
He said “Following a briefing from Mr. Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) on the activities of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 which he chairs, the Forum commended the SGF and his team for the commitment in leading a national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Members also emphasised the necessity for stronger collaboration with states because they are best positioned to administer palliatives to mitigate the impact of the crisis, including the distribution of food and essential materials to households to help them cope with the expected loss of income and livelihoods.
“The Forum received presentation from Mazen Mroue, chief operating officer and Olubayo Adekanmbi, chief transformation officer, MTN-Nigeria on ongoing collaboration with the NGF Secretariat to profile states vulnerability to the spread of the Coronavirus based on parameters such as population age and density, travel history, location, income level, etc. Governors approved the vulnerability model and resolved to use the model to drive a data-driven approach to stopping the spread of the virus in the country.
“The Forum also expressed full support for the federal government’s timely implementation of the petrol price modulation mechanism to eliminate petrol subsidy permanently in the country.
He also stated that governors unanimously supported the unification of exchange rates into a single, market-determined window and the use of the market-determined exchange rate to calculate all revenues due to the federation.
“Finally, governors reiterated the importance of canceling all deductions and deferring or restructuring all commercial debt service payments on federal government and CBN-owned debts,” he added.
Thirdly, the governors moved to strengthen operations in their Emergency Communication Centres (ECCs) to improve the communication response between distressed citizens and Emergency Response Agencies (ERAs) including the State Emergency Agency, ambulances, police, Fire Service and the Federal Road safety Corps.
This was one of their resolutions after 4th COVID-19 teleconference meeting of the NGF.
According to them, operations will be resident in the ECCs to process distress calls and contact relevant ERAs.
Fayemi briefed his colleagues on ongoing COVID-19 coordination efforts between the Forum and various organisations including the Presidential Task Force to the COVID-19 Coalition Against COVID (CACOVID) and MTN.
He said “the Forum received update from the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, on the response of his ministry to the COVID-19 pandemic, including support to state governments to help them identify vulnerable persons through a data mining study coordinated by the Nigerian Communications Commission with the support of telecommunications providers in the country.
“The Forum commended the minister for taking a functional role in the COVID-19 response and assured him of their resolve to use all relevant data available to target palliatives to the most vulnerable persons in the most effective and efficient manner.
“Finally, following an update from Olubayo Adekanmi, chief transformation officer, MTN-Nigeria on ongoing work with the NGF Secretariat to estimate the vulnerability profile of all States based on their populations, age risk, international travel profile, population density and state contiguity, epidemiological metrics and spending patterns.
“Governors resolved to adopt the new data to strengthen the distribution of palliatives put in place and support from various organisations and persons,” he added.
By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah,
Leadership