Nigeria Governors To Hold Emergency Meeting On Wednesday Over Fuel Hike, Covid-19 Vaccines

Governors of the 36 states in Nigeria, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, will meet on Wednesday to discuss issues related to petrol subsidy and COVID-19 vaccines.

The governors disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday 15th March 2021 by Mr. Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the Head, Media and Public Affairs of NGF Secretariat.

The forum’s spokesperson said the emergency meeting would be held virtually.

Bello-Barkindo said that Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State, who is the chairman of NGF Committee on Subsidy on petrol, would brief his colleagues before any decisions on the supply and or retailing of the product is taken.

He added that various issues revolving around the COVID-19 vaccines rollout would feature prominently in the 28th teleconference meeting.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and chairman, NGF committee, said that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 would brief his colleagues on the situation with the vaccine rollout and the attendant encumbrances.

“On his part, the chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Kayode Fayemi, will update his colleagues on the outcome of his meeting with the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities.

“The educationists met the Forum’s chairman last week and presented a number of requests which they believed would improve education at the subnational level,” he said.

Bello-Barkindo added that the governors would also listen to the activities of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum.

He said that the meeting, which would commence by 2p.m., would also play host to three external presentations.

He said one of the presentations would be made by the new National Drug Law Enforcement chief, General Buba Marwa, on ‘managing the drug crisis.’

“The Department for International Development will be making a presentation on the NNPC audit reports and what the states should know,” he added.

Bello-Barkindo noted that the last presentation will be on trade facilitation in Nigeria through e-customs and a Public Private Partnership structure in partnership with the British High Commission.