Governors of the 36 states of the federation have scheduled a meeting for Wednesday to among others, strategise on ways to ensure the implementation of financial autonomy for state judiciary and legislature.
The Head, Media and Public Affairs of the NGF, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, in a statement on Monday, said the issue would form a major item on the agenda of the virtual meeting, scheduled for Wednesday.
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Bello-Barkindo said the governors would also deliberate on the Memorandum of Action (MoA) endorsed by representatives of the NGF, the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) and other stakeholders before the over two months old strike by judicial and parliamentary workers was suspended.
“The return to work by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) which begins tomorrow, Tuesday after the democracy day holiday, will top the agenda of the 31st NGF meeting which takes place, virtually, on Wednesday 16th June 2021.
“Efforts are already underway in all states of the federation, to either constitute the States Accounts Allocation Committees (SAAC) or to inaugurate them, preparatory to the granting of full autonomy to the two arms of government, namely, the legislature and the judiciary at the subnational level.
“JUSUN and PASAN have been on a nationwide strike for more than two months, while governors of the 36 states worked day-and-night to establish modalities for their autonomy in conformity with the constitutional provisions that stipulated thus.
“The Governors’ meeting will be briefed before deliberating on the Memorandum of Action (MoA) of this main item on the agenda.”
According to the invitation to all the 36 governors, as issued by the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, the governors would be updated on the activities of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 by the Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who heads the governors’ interface with the PTF.
The meeting will also review the agenda of the NEC which takes place a day after.
He said other items on the agenda include the regular update on the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability for results SFTAS to provide states’ status on their DLI’s and upcoming deadlines.
The meeting will also receive two presentations.
“Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises will make a presentation regarding Unlocking Liquidity through Sale/Optimization of State-owned Redundant/Sub-Optimal Assets while Policy Development Facility (PDF) Bridge Programme will discuss Diversification and Non-oil Export Opportunities for States Post-COVID-19,” he said.
