NGF to set up security committee

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) says it will set up a security committee at the National Economic Council (NEC) level as part of its commitments to addressing growing security challenge in the country.

The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi disclosed this while reading the communiqué issued at the end of the forum meeting held on Wednesday night in Abuja.

Fayemi said that although the forum did not discuss the issue of state police, it was an issue of interest to citizens and the governors.

He said that the forum would continue to review its position on state police and made its stand known to the public.

“The Forum resolved to set up a security committee at the National Economic Council level and retain security as a reoccurring item on its agenda for the foreseeable future, in order to continue to monitor development on security situation.”

Fayemi also said that members of the forum also resolved to relaunch its flagship State Peer Review Mechanism programme designed to assist states foster good governance.

This according to him was also to accelerate the rate of development through periodic reviews of progress made by State governments.

Fayemi disclosed that the agenda of the forum new leadership was set to include security, human capital development, jobs creation, constitutional reform particularly devolution.

He said that the set agenda also include strengthening of the NGF Secretariat to support economic advisory, policy advisory, knowledge management and public financial management.

“Members pledged to support the new leadership to drive the mandate of the Forum to promote collaboration and consensus among Governors on matters of public policy.”

Fayemi said the forum also agreed to hold a one-day interactive session with the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on ongoing development engagements across States on June 26.

“The event will also host an Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) retreat with the Joint Tax Board and Chairmen of
the Internal Revenue Service of States.”

Fayemi said that the Forum received a presentation on Sub-national Investment Promotion from the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Ms. Yewande Sadiku.

He said that the governors at the end pledged to work with the Commission to strengthen investors’ engagements and reached a consensus to promote strategic insights into states’ competitiveness advantages.

Also present at the meeting was the Forum Deputy Chairman, Gov. Aminu Tambulwal of Sokoto State.

Other governors present were those of Lagos, Borno, Osun, Kano, Ondo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi, Plateau, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Ogun, Edo, Gombe, Niger, Bayelsa and Oyo, as well as Deputy Governors of Katsina, Zamfara, Enugu and Imo.