NGF to meet Buhari over attack on Zulum, growing insecurity

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have agreed to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari with resolutions after a meeting it had over the attack on Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum and the growing insecurity in the country.

This was disclosed on Thursday in a communique released by the Chairman of the forum, Kayode Fayemi at the end of the 14th Teleconference meeting held on Wednesday.

According to the communique, the NGF Chairman provided an update on: “The recent attack on the convoy of the Borno State Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum and the rapidly degenerating state of security across the country.

“The Chairman stated that the NEC Ad-Hoc Committee on Security and Policing met on Tuesday 4th August 2020 with the heads of the nation’s security agencies to discuss and review the security challenges in the country.

Read also:INSECURITY: NGF expresses solidarity with Zulum, to meet Buhari, security chiefs

“According to the Chairman, Resolutions reached will be presented to Mr. President shortly.”

The communique further disclosed that the forum adopted the report of the National Economic Council Ad-Hoc Committee on COVID-19 chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo which recommended the immediate suspension of the requirement for State Governments to provide matching funds to access grants like Universal Basic Education (UBE).

The forum also pledged to continue to engage with the federal government on the suspension of State counterpart funds required for accessing UBE funds in the light of the impact of COVID-19 which had affected the capacity of State governments to provide counterpart funds required to access various national funds and statutory levies.

The communiqué said State governments with unresolved issues with their Resident Doctors were enjoined to meet with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at least at the local level to agree on workable solutions in the face of the current challenges in the country.

The governors, according to the communique, also agreed that State governments will ensure appropriate health and security measures were put in place to ensure a seamless exercise by the teams from the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF) coming for the 2019 Annual Performance Assessment of the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and (SFTAS) programme expected to start from 9th August 2020, while the NGF Secretariat promised to provide Technical Assistance to the remaining five (5) States yet to publish their Audited Financial Statement (AFS).

“The collaboration between the NGF and the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) to organize a Webinar on Governance and Insecurity Challenges in the country was discussed.

“The Webinar will facilitate an interaction between Governors and the public to shed more light on some of the strategies deployed to tackle insecurity amidst the battle against COVID-19 in Nigeria.

“The Forum received further updates from the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who briefed members on guidelines for the resumption of schools in the country.

“The Ministry has been engaging with governors through the NGF Sub-Committee interfacing with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and through regular meetings with State Commissioners for Education.

“The Chairman of the NGF Sub-Committee interfacing with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State. Dr. Okowa briefed Governors of the measures discussed with the PTF on reopening the economy.

“His update highlighted concerns such as guidelines required to reopen schools; resumption of international flights; the need for increased testing capacity and sample collection centers in all local government areas in the country; disbursement of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and other health-related facilities; dissemination of guidelines for home care for COVID-19 cases; and the non-availability of reagents in the country due to its high demand globally”, the communique read in part.

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