Prime Business AfricaNigerian governors, in their 32nd teleconference meeting on Wednesday, will deliberate on the contentious Petroleum Industry Bill as passed by the National Assembly.
Under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, they will also give the final nod to the legislative and judicial autonomy at the subnational level, Prime Business Africa reports.
Prominent on the agenda of the invitation to the meeting, as issued by the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, is the mention of Executive Order 10 and a review of the Memorandum of Action, which was signed, months ago, in a series of meetings between the governors, members of JUSUN, PASAN and the Minister of Labour.
Since the last meeting, more states including Sokoto, 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 where committees will be considered and request for nominees into the Technical Working Group 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 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 include 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.
A statement from the office of the NGF said the virtual meeting would commence at 2pm although the governors would log on at 1pm.
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