By CHIDI UGWU, Abuja

Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Thursday endorsed the development of a three-month plan on reopening the nation’s economy.

Governor Kayode Fayemi, NGF Chairman, in a communiqué made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, noted that the resolution was part of the outcome of the governors 9th Teleconference meeting.

Fayemi said NGF’s NEC Sub-Committee comprising the Governors of Delta (Chairman), Ekiti, Lagos, Anambra, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau and the FCT Minister; will interface with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to fine tune the plans.

According to the Chairman, NGF also resolved to interface with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, on the $1 billion COVID-19 crisis facility approved for the country at the request of the Federal Government by the African Development Bank (AfDB), to embark on the delivery of projects that will meet the needs of Nigerians during this period, in such areas as health emergency assistance, agriculture and food security.

He added that the Forum will continue engagements with CACOVID to consolidate interventions on the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable Nigerians who have lost their means of livelihood as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today, deliberated on the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The NGF Chairman briefed State Governors on coordination activities with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, multilateral and bilateral partners, and the private sector through the Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID) that are targeted at improving the COVID-19 response of State governments.

“We received brief from Ebrima Faal, Senior Director of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Nigeria on the $1billion COVID-19 crisis facility and update from Zouera Youssoufou, Managing Director and CEO of The Aliko Dangote Foundation on activities of the CACOVID.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum thereafter resolved to: “Interface with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, on the $1 billion COVID-19 crisis facility approved for the country at the request of the Federal Government by the African Development Bank (AfDB), to embark on the delivery of projects that will meet the needs of Nigerians during this period, in such areas as health emergency assistance, agriculture and food security;

“Continue engagements with CACOVID to consolidate interventions on the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable Nigerians who have lost their means of livelihood as a result of the coronavirus pandemic;

“Endorsed the development of a 3-month plan on reopening the economy by the NEC Sub-Committee that will interface with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 comprising the Governors of Delta (Chairman), Ekiti, Lagos, Anambra, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau and the FCT Minister;

“Through The NEC Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee on COVID-19 comprising the Governors of Kaduna (Chairman), Kebbi, Ebonyi, Ogun, Nasarawa, Edo, and Jigawa, interface with the Economic Sustainability Committee chaired by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, to incorporate the contributions of State governments in the Economic Sustainability Plan as a national response to the COVID-19 crisis;

“Through the NGF Legal Committee comprising the Governors of Sokoto, Plateau and Ondo, engage with the Attorney General of the Federation to reflect on the implications of the recently passed Executive Order 10, 2020 on governance at the Sub-National level.” (Daily Independent)

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