States controlled by Nigeria’s governing party, the All Progressives Congress, APC have committed to mobilising more resources to tackle insecurity and to implementing security trust funds.
These were some of the resolutions reached at the 12th quarterly meeting of the Secretaries to the Governments of APC States held in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa Stat.
In a communique signed by the Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State, Mr. Muhammad Ubandoma Aliyu, the APC state governments also resolved to hold local stakeholders more accountable in responding to security challenges.
“Undertake to strengthen regular processes of information sharing on issues of security management among APC controlled States to facilitate synergy of initiatives and proactive responses;
“Recommend that APC States strengthen the Security Committees at the Local Government Levels and ensure that all stakeholders, especially traditional and religious take more responsibility and are made to be more accountable to government in responding to security challenges.
“To continually mobilise resources for management of security challenges, APC controlled States are enjoined to strengthen the legal framework for the implementation of Security Trust Fund;
“Finally, the meeting noted with strong commendation the renewed offensive by Nigerian Security Agencies against criminal elements across the country. Accordingly, reaffirmed the commitment of APC State governments to continue to work with the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that every part of Nigeria is safe,” the communique read.
Also as a follow up to previous meetings held, the meeting also reviewed the status of the Implementation Framework for Promoting Maternal and Child Nutrition in APC controlled States and provided necessary guidelines to enhance the engagement of stakeholders.
According to Mr Aliyu, the meeting adopted 6 months maternity leave for nursing mothers.
“APC controlled States would prioritise adequate support for working nursing mothers, including the adoption of six months maternity leave for nursing mothers to enhance Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF);
“Issues of Maternal and Child Nutrition should be integrated into the Primary Healthcare Delivery Services;
“APC controlled States would strengthen coordination of initiatives to fast tract implementation of Maternal and Child Nutrition programmes with a focus on health, education and agricultural sectors”, he said.
The theme of the meeting was “Setting Enabling Framework for Implementation of PGF (Progressives Governors Forum) Policy Briefs”.
Confidence Okwuchi
