GOVERNORS of the 36 states under the aegis of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) are to meet tomorrow, Wednesday, May 19, 2021 to address the issue of financial autonomy for state judiciary and legislature which have been at the heart of prolonged nationwide strikes by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria.
While JUSUN’s strike has shut down the courts across the country since it embarked on the strike on April 6, 2021, PASAN’s strike which began on March 23, 2021 had equally made the state houses of assembly inoperative.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NGF, chaired by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, disclosed in a statement in Abuja on Monday that the governors would hold their 30th teleconference meeting to discuss “matters arising” by 2pm on May 19.
The statement issued by the Head, Media and Public Affairs of the NGF secretariat, Mr Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said the meeting would discuss issues such as ongoing conversation over the contentious Executive Order 10 and the third wave of COVID-19.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in May 2020 issued the Executive Order 10 for the enforcement of section 121(3) of the Constitution which places both state judiciaries and legislatures on first line charge.
Mr Bello-Barkindo stated that the NGF’s Director-General, Asishana Okauru, would give feedback on the series of Executive Order 10 meetings with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige. This, according to him, is about the ongoing industrial action by JUSUN and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN).
He further said a committee headed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State would brief the forum on health matters arising from the coming of the third wave of COVID-19.
Mr Bello-Barkindo said the NGF’s planned meeting would be the seventh this year and would also discuss “an update of the States, Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, (SFTAS) report”, among other things.
