The 36 state governors of Nigeria, under the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), are gathering for a crucial meeting at the National Secretariat of the NGF in Abuja. The main topics on the agenda include the National Minimum Wage and local government autonomy, both of which are currently subjects of intense discussion and legal scrutiny.
The governors aim to align their positions on the National Minimum Wage, which is being debated by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage. This meeting seeks to ensure that all governors are updated and unified in their approach to this pressing issue.
In addition to the minimum wage, the governors will also deliberate on the disbursement of funds under the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NC-CARES) to the states. This is part of broader efforts to manage and recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.
A significant issue on the agenda is local government autonomy. Last month, the federal government initiated legal action against the governors at the Supreme Court over alleged misconduct in the administration of Local Government Areas (LGAs). The suit, filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, seeks to grant full autonomy to LGAs as the third tier of government.
The federal government is asking the Supreme Court to prohibit state governors from unlawfully dissolving democratically elected local government leaders. It also seeks an order allowing funds meant for local governments to be directly transferred from the Federation Account, bypassing the joint accounts controlled by state governors. Additionally, the suit demands an end to the practice of appointing caretaker committees to run local governments, which contradicts the constitutionally mandated democratic system.
Governors from Oyo, Zamfara, Anambra, Delta, and Gombe States are already present at the meeting, along with the Deputy Governors of Akwa Ibom and Borno States. This meeting is expected to be a significant step towards resolving these critical governance issues.
