The 36 governors of the federation may finally come up with a definitive pronouncement on the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the country after its 23rd teleconference meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday, January 20, 2021.
A statement released on Monday by the spokesman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo said the impending pronouncement by the governors might be necessary because they were “alarmed by the intensity of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Nigeria’s tardy commencement of inoculation that is sweeping through countries globally”.
Bello-Barkindo said the meeting by the governors which will be the first this year is fixed to find the way forward for the country and will as usual, be virtual, in conformity with the COVID-19 protocols.
He said 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 COVID-19 and the Governors’ Forum, will brief the Forum on what it needs to know on the vaccines and the way forward.
He added that Governor Okowa is expected to give a panoramic view of the second wave of the pandemic.
The statement revealed that 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.
According to the invitation to governors issued by the Director General of the NGF, Mr Asishana 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.
The invite disclosed that all disbursements of funds to states on the three tranches of PAYE will also be tabled.
