By KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja

The 36 state governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will, on Wednesday, convene to give their final blessings to the legislative and judicial autonomy at the subnational level as well as deliberate on contentious sections of the Petroleum Industry Bill, 2021, passed by the National Assembly last week.

The proposed 32nd Teleconference meeting which is to be chaired by the NGF Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, is also expected to deliberate on Executive Order 10.

According to the agenda of the invitation of the meeting issued by the NGF Director-General Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, the Governors will review the Memorandum of Action, 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.

Since the last meeting, more states including Sokoto State have granted autonomy to their legislatures and judiciaries in compliance with the demands of the two arms of government.

The governors are also expected to discuss the maiden meeting of the National Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy where committees will be considered and requests for nominees into the Technical Working Group will also feature.

“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: Sensitization, 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. (Nigerian Tribune)

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