The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), on Thursday, demanded the suspension of the proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020 pending before the House of Representatives.
In recent weeks, the bill had come under criticisms given the way the House sought to railroad it into law without subjecting it to due process including public hearing.
The governors, in a communique issued at the end of the NGF’s 8th teleconference held to review the COVID-19 situation and develop strategies on how best to quickly overcome the effects of the pandemic, raised concern with the lack of consultation by the House with state governments.
The communique signed by the NGF Chairman and Ekiti Governor, Kayode Fayemi, said following an update they got from the Governor of Sokoto State and Vice Chairman of the NGF, Aminu Tambuwal, on the proposed Bill, the Forum resolved that the bill should be stepped down until an appropriate consultative process is held, including a public hearing to gather public opinion and concerns.
Fayemi said the forum has established a committee comprising the governors of Katsina, Sokoto and Plateau to lead a consultative meeting with leadership of the National Assembly on the proposed bill.
“The NGF Secretariat was also mandated to comprehensively review the Bill and its implication on states,” he said.
The governors also expressed worry over the increasing cases of coronavirus in the country and have agreed to ramp up testing as well as provide a 300 bed space per state for isolation and treatment.
They expressed concern that the number of cases had reached 4,787 as at May 12, based on an update from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
“The worrying trend urgently calls for additional measures by governors to ramp up capacity for testing, increase the availability of isolation beds to at least 300 per State, accelerate the procurement of additional personal protective equipment (PPE) and training for health workers, as well as the continued enforcement of interstate restriction of movement,” Fayemi said.
The governors said in line with the commitment to intensify public-private collaboration for the delivery of palliatives from the private sector, they have resolved to make warehouses available for the delivery of palliatives and have appointed State Coordinators who will be responsible for the receipt and distribution of palliatives to vulnerable persons.
Concerned about the ownership and distribution of proceeds from recovered looted funds and accounts or investments funded as first line charge from the federation account, the governors resolved to engage the Federal Government to ensure all arrangements involved the states.
“Following an update on the rising trend of deductions from revenues accruable to the federation account available for distribution to the three tiers of government, the governors noted the threat this poses on the fiscal capacity of states to respond to the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Members also raised concern about the ownership and distribution of proceeds from recovered looted funds and accounts or investments funded as first line charge from the federation account. The Forum agreed to engage with the Federal Government to ensure that governance arrangement of all federation-funded investments recognise state governments as shareholders in the distribution of proceeds and decision making,” Fayemi said. – The Sun.
