Full Details Of Governors’ Meeting Emerge

Full details of the Governor’s meeting, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has emerged.

Naija News understands that part of the detail of the governor’s meeting noted that NGF has pledged to partner with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The partnership with the TCN, according to the details of the governor’s meeting obtained by Naija News, is part of the efforts to improve power supply across the country.

The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, announced this while reading the communiqué of the forum meeting held on Wednesday night in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Fayemi said that the governors had on Wednesday during the meeting, received a presentation by the TCN which highlighted issues around inadequate transmission and sought governors’ commitment to improving power in the country.

While speaking on the Federal Government’s resolution to recover N614 billion loan facility from 35 states of the federation, Fayemi said that they were ready to pay but there should be reconciliation of account.

“If you borrow, you pay. We are never averse to payment of loans under legal environment and we don’t want a situation that will put our financial system in jeopardy.

“However, governors believe that we are ready to pay, we also have a duty to ensure a reconciliation of account as far as moneys owed to states may be concerned,” he said.

Earlier in the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had said that the Federal Government had resolved to recover N614 billion loan facility from 35 states of the federation.

The minister had during the meeting, revealed this when she briefed State House correspondents on the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), presided by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, at the State House, Abuja.

Mrs. Ahmed noted that each of the affected 35 states received N17.5 billion as bailout from the federal government.

She said that the council had already agreed to constitute a team to finalise modalities for commencement of repayment of the loan facility.

Fayemi also said that the forum had received a presentation from Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet), advising that the country should expect above-average rainfall which had already caused severe flooding in several states.

He added that the forum also received briefing on meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari and from the Inspector-General of Police “on the unlawful invasion” of some governors’ residences.

He said that this was a direct violation of the immunity of the Governors.

“The forum was briefed by the chairman on the meeting between the forum and the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), the governors’ pledged to continue to collaborate with journalist.

“This collaboration would centre around the issues of security particularly when they work in hostile environments.

“The forum received a briefing on the status of the world bank assisted State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Programme for results (SFTAS).

“The team from the World Bank assured the forum that all assessments now imply that states have improved in transparency ratings over the last quarter,” he said.