…Legislative, Judiciary autonomy, Executive Order 10 also on meeting agenda
By Ife Osemedua
365Daily– The 36 State Governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will, on Wednesday, July 14, 2021, hold a meeting to discuss on areas of dissent in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), 2021.
The National Assembly last week passed the PIB, which now awaits the consent of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Also to be considered by the Governors are legislative and judicial autonomy at the subnational level and Executive Order 10
The virtual meeting is to be chaired by the Chairman of NGF, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.
An invitation by the NGF Director-General, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, revealed that the Governors will review the Memorandum of Action for Judicial and Legislature autonomy, which was signed, months ago, in a series of meetings between the Governors, Members of JUSUN, PASAN and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.
Furthermore, the Governors are also expected to discuss the maiden meeting of the National Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy where committees and nominees into the Technical Working Group will be selected.
It stated: “This is in line with the new thinking among Governors that pro-poor policies deserve prominence in the current governance structure.
“Other issues of national importance to feature in the meeting include the contentious Petroleum Industry Bill where Governors will seek solutions to the next steps on the unresolved issues.”
The NGF Chairman is also expected to brief the meeting on the activities of the weeks after the last meeting which includes the shuttle diplomacy he embarked upon to the ambassadors of Canada, China and South Africa; as well as the meetings with the Transportation Commissioners of Nigeria and officials from the Nigeria Printing and Minting Company.
“The Governor Ifeanyi Okowa Committee on COVID 19, a regular feature of the meeting, just like the SFTAS update will be presented to the governors, just as the NEC agenda for the following day will be discussed.
“There will be three presentations before the Governors, among which are the Advocacy on Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act: Sensitisation, Domestication and Financing by the Chairman, House Committee on Disability, the Diversification and Non-oil Export Opportunities for States Post-COVID -19 – Policy Development Facility (PDF) Bridge Programme and the Deployment of Digital Infrastructure for Human Capital Development by the CEO, Suburban Fibre Company, among others,” the statement read.