By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

The 36 states governors are to meet President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss with him on the need to present new revenue formula to the 9th National Assembly for passage into law before the end of his administration.

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after the forum’s meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

Tambuwal said that the governors discussed issues that bordered on national, sub-national, democracy and good governance, including the need for timely release of the collected stamp duties warehoused in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for disbursement.

“Today, we discussed the guidelines by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) on financial regulations that it is working on in ensuring that Nigeria is taken out of grey lists of the financial tax force.

“We also discussed the issue of Primary Healthcare Seattle Declaration and the progress made so far. During our induction course, some states that have attained some milestones are going to receive some awards for their performance.

“We discussed the new revenue formular submitted to Mr President by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMFC) and the need for us to approach Mr President on the need for him to present the new draft formula to National Assembly before this administration winds up.

“We also discussed the issue of stamp duties that have been held, both the Federal Government and the states that is warehoused in Central Bank of Nigeria.

“We are working to make sure that it is released for disbursements to both federal government and state,” Tambuwal said.

Fielding questions on details of the new draft revenue formula and if the forum was satisfied with it, Tambuwal said the details of the new formula would be revealed when presented.

“We are going to meet Mr President as the leadership of the forum and we will appeal to him to present that draft revenue formula. By the time it is presented, you will see what is there.”

On his assessment of the NGF, Tambuwal said that the forum had helped the governors in maintaining cohesion, unity, non-partisanship, making sure that all that they did was about Nigeria first and their various states.

“The NGF is actually doing well in terms of bringing governors together, working together for national interest, for the interests of the states.

“Making sure that there is that unity amongst governors on national issues. I believe NGF has done very well.” (NAN)

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