The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi, says the forum will engage the National Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on how best to address the issues around the petroleum subsidy in Nigeria.
Fayemi who is the Ekiti State Governor, stated this in a Press conference after the Governors closed door meeting in Abuja on vital national issues.
He said; ”the outcome of their discussion would be fair to national discourse with a view to savage the Nigerian economy without creating crisis.”
On Health issues, especially the Covid-19 Infection, Governor Feyemi said the latest variant Omicron has been declining, noting that ”there is need for States to wrap up the Covid-19 vaccination exercise.”
He also talked about Nutrition which he said remained Government’s top priority as the Governors resolved there was need to increase their support in terms of budgetary provision.
Governor Fayemi said ”the forum received presentation from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC, on the ease of doing business and to discuss necessary ways of the ease of doing business survey with the Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on ease of doing business, Dr Jumoke Oduwale, also the Country’s Director of the World Bank, Dr. Shubham Chaudhuri.
”The presentation elaborated the need to step up reform towards improving the investment and business climate at the sub-national level.”
The Governors also reviewed the recently launched National Development Plan 2021-2025 with to ensure that the plan is aligned with individual State development plans that had been produced or with the process of been produced to ensure collaboration with the development effort by the Federal and State Governments.
Commendation
On the Electoral Amendment Act, the Governors commended the National Assembly for accelerating the removal of direct primary clause in the amendment act bill and hope that the House of Representatives would also do the same, so that the reviewed bill can returned to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent and to enable INEC prepare for the forth-coming General elections.
The meeting which is the first in this year, had in attendance over 25 Governors. Fifteen Governors and 10 Deputy Governors from Kano, Edo, Kebbi, Borno, Imo, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Kwara, Plateau, Osun, Bayesa, Yobe, Enugu, Bauchi, Benue, Lagos, Kastina, Rivers, Kogi, Kebbi, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Kebbi States, among others.
The Economic and financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Boss Abdulrasheed Bawa and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele also attended the meeting.
Lateefah Ibrahim
