The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has resolved to collaborate with the Federal Government to streamline levies and dismantle unauthorised checkpoints in a bid to ease movement of goods across states.
On Wednesday, the governors held a meeting at the NGF secretariat in Abuja, the nation’s capital, and were briefed by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The NSA was accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; his counterpart in the Ministry of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha; that of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; and Transportation, Senator Said Alkali.
The briefing focused on the rising cost of food and livestock transportation across the country.
In a communique, the NGF said that proliferation of checkpoints, illegal taxation, and poor infrastructure were identified as key factors behind spiralling inflation and inefficiencies in the food supply chain.
It said that the inter-ministerial committee established to address concerns in the food supply chain has submitted its recommendations to the forum.
The communique further read: ‘Governors acknowledged the urgency of the matter and expressed commitment to collaborate with federal authorities to streamline levies, dismantle unauthorized checkpoints, and improve the movement of goods across states’, the communique reads.
‘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 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 eemphasised he 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 communique was signed by NGF Chairman, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State.
