From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Governors of the 36 states of the federation under the auspices of Nigeria Governors Forum are to meet with all the economic and financial agencies in the country, with a view to ironing out thorny issues surrounding their states’ security votes, towards establishing a better option of managing the funds.
The Director General of the NGF, Asishana Okauru, who sent out the invitation said the meeting schedule to hold Tuesday April 4, will be virtual, to ensure full attendance by all the relevant officers in the matter.
Those invited to the meeting include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, (ICPC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In a statement issued by Diector, Media and Public Affairs
NGF’s Secretariat, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the meeting will also consider deepening the management and expansion of the cashless policy which took effect from the time of the redesigning of the Naira, last year, to further the financial inclusion of all citizens in the ensuing scheme of things, going forward.
He said the meeting is at the instance of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), in its letter of 30th March, which was addressed to the Chairman of the NGF and signed by the NFIU Director, Modibbo Hamman Tukur.
“The letter said that apart from the facilities for national financial inclusion, it is also putting on the table the uniform development and cooperation on the national addressing and post code project, which will put Nigeria on the same pedestal as all advanced countries across the globe”, the statement read.
Also on the agenda is a consensus on harmonizing and updating the national tax collection and business entry standards and its requirements to help respond to the FATF and the EU grey listing in which Nigeria appeared.
“All Governors are advised to prioritize the meeting as its contents had been discussed at the NGF emergency meeting of Thursday 30th March, where it was unanimously agreed that a meeting with the afore-mentioned agencies was imperative”, the statement added.
Recall the NFIU had fixed March 1, 2023, as deadline for ban of cash withdrawals from accounts belonging to the Federal Government, all its agencies, and also states and local governments.
The unit had said effective from that date any government official that withdraws cash from public accounts risks investigation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, and the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with the NFIU, depending on the gravity of the situation.