Governors, AGF to discuss Executive Order 10 - The Nation Nigeria

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

Governors are to meet with the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, on the impact of Executive Order 10 (EO10) issued by President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday.

The decision was taken at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) virtual meeting on Wednesday where the governors deliberated on the Order that approved autonomy for states’ judiciary and the legislature.

In a communique, the governors said: “Through the NGF legal committee comprising the governors of Sokoto, Plateau and Ondo, engage with the AGF to reflect on the implications of the recently passed Executive Order 10, 2020 on governance at the sub-national level.”

The communique was signed by NGF Chairman, Dr.  Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti State.

The governors endorsed the development of a three-month plan on reopening the economy by the NEC Sub-Committee that will interface with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 comprising the governors of Delta (Chairman), Ekiti, Lagos, Anambra, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau and the FCT Minister.

Read Also: Why Buhari issues Executive Orders, by AGF Malami

They equally resolved to work “through the NEC Ad-hoc Sub-Committee on COVID-19 comprising the governors of Kaduna (as 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.”

The communique added: “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.”

According to the communique, the governors 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.

They agreed to 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.