36 State Governors To Meet Wednesday On Parliamentary, Judicial Autonomy

The 36 governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will on Wednesday reconvene to deliberate on the decision of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) expected to resume work as from Tuesday.

The 31st NGF virtual meeting will be chaired by the NGF Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State will also deliberate on update on the activities of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, among others.

He said: “The return to work by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) which begins tomorrow, Tuesday after the Democracy Day holiday, will top the agenda of the 31st NGF meeting which takes place, virtually, on Wednesday 16th June 2021.

“Efforts are already underway in all States of the Federation, to either constitute the States Accounts Allocation Committees (SAAC) or to inaugurate them, preparatory to the granting of full autonomy to the two arms of government, namely, the legislature and the judiciary at the sub-national level.

“JUSUN and PASAN have been on a nationwide strike for more than two months, while governors of the 36 states worked day-and-night to establish modalities for their autonomy in conformity with the constitutional provisions that stipulated thus.

“The governors’ meeting will be briefed before deliberating on the Memorandum of Action (MoA) of this main item on the agenda,” the NGF’s Head of Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo said in a statement obtained by Nigerian Tribune.

According to the invitation to all the 36 governors as issued by the NGF Director-General, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, they will be updated on the activities of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid 19, a regular feature of the governors’ meetings, by the Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa who heads the governors’ interface with the PTF.

“The meeting will also review the agenda of the NEC which takes place a day after.

“Other items on the agenda include the regular update on the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability for results SFTAS to provide states’ status on their DLI’s and upcoming deadlines.

“The meeting will also receive two presentations: Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, will make a presentation regarding Unlocking Liquidity through Sale/Optimization of State-owned Redundant/Sub-Optimal Assets while Policy Development Facility (PDF) Bridge Programme will discuss Diversification and Non-oil Export Opportunities for States Post-Covid-19.”

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state.