Details Of Governors’ Meeting With NSA, Minister Of Defence Emerge

In a coordinated move to address the worsening food crisis in Nigeria, the 36 state governors under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have agreed to collaborate with the Federal Government to dismantle illegal checkpoints, harmonise levies, and improve inter-state trade.

The decision was announced after the closed-door meeting with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, held on Wednesday night.

Reading the communiqué after the meeting, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the governors unanimously acknowledged that the current proliferation of illegal checkpoints and multiple taxation were aggravating food price inflation and disrupting the national food supply chain.

He stated, “The Forum received a briefing from the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, accompanied by the Honourable Ministers of Defence, Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Transportation, on the rising cost of food and livestock transportation across the country.

“The presentation revealed that the proliferation of checkpoints, illegal taxation, and poor infrastructure are key contributors to price inflation and inefficiencies in the food supply chain.

“The NSA noted that a high-level inter-ministerial committee has been established to address these concerns and has submitted its recommendations for the endorsement of the Forum.

“Governors acknowledged the urgency of the matter and expressed commitment to collaborate with federal authorities to streamline levies, dismantle unauthorised checkpoints, and improve the movement of goods across states.”

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that states have collectively invested more than $2.2bn through the NG-CARES implementation platforms.

It added, “The Forum received a presentation from the World Bank on the Nigeria Community Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme.

“The bank highlighted that states have made significant investments totaling over US$2.2 billion through the NG-CARES delivery platforms, with verified impacts reaching over 17 million direct beneficiaries.

“Governors expressed concern over the non-fulfilment of funding pledges by the bank under NG-CARES 1.0.

“The Forum emphasized the need for an amicable resolution between the World Bank and participating states to conclude the first phase of the programme before advancing to NG-CARES 2.0, which is designed to build long-term resilience for vulnerable households and enterprises.”

The post Details Of Governors’ Meeting With NSA, Minister Of Defence Emerge appeared first on Naija News.