Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), last night, in the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, resolved to raise a committee within it to discuss with the National Assembly on the possible creation of state police.
According to Thisday, the decision was a prompt follow-up to the submissions at the just concluded two-day summit on national security organised by the Senate in collaboration with state governors and the federal government in Abuja.
At the event, the governors threw their weight behind Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s position at the opening of the event last Thursday that state police was “the way to go.”
The NGF meeting also had on its agenda last night the recovery of stamp duties and improvement of internally generated revenue (IGR) through harmonised motor registry/traffic management system by dimensions information technology.
The meeting which started at 9p.m. and presided over by the NGF Chairman and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari, received a briefing from the Constitutional Amendment Committee chaired by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State.
The committee also briefed the forum on health agenda for 2018 meant to secure the governors’ commitment to universal health care coverage, polio eradication and nutrition, among others.
Thisday reports that the governors were also briefed by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, on the finances accruable to states.
Present at the meeting at the time of filing this report were, governors of Bauchi, Mohammed Abubakar; Borno, Kashim Shettima; Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Kogi, Yahaya Bello; Kwara, Abdulfatah Ahmed; Jigawa, Ibrahim Hassan; Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu; Kaduna, Nasir el-Rufai; Nasarawa, Tanko Al-makura and Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Deputy governors in attendance were from: Benue, Benson Abounu; Ebonyi, Kelechi Igwe; Enugu, Cecelia Ezeilo; Plateau, Sonni Gwanle Tyoden; Osun, Titi Laoye-Tomori; Rivers, Ipalibo Banigo; Ogun, Yetunde Onanuga; Akwa Ibom, Moses Ekpo; Ekiti, Kolapo Olusola; Sokoto, Ahmed Aliyu; and Lagos, Oluranti Adebule.