From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
In order to forestall possible food shortage in the country, governors of the 36 states of the federation on the platform of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will be holding an emergency virtual meeting Monday to deliberate on the prospects of dry-season farming as facilitated by the Anchor Borrowers Program of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In a statement over the weekend, Head, Media, and Public Affairs at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele will address the Governors to explain the programme, an initiative of the CBN, aimed at enlightening the state executives on the necessary steps to ensure the success of the program in their various states.
The meeting will finalise the partnership between the Forum and the CBN after an update by Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu who has been midwifing the NGF group in the agriculture sector.
Part of the statement read thus: “The NGF will be holding an emergency virtual meeting on Monday 14th December 2020 to deliberate on the prospects of dry-season farming as facilitated by the Anchor Borrowers Program of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
“The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Chief Godwin Emefiele will be addressing the Governors to explain the program, an initiative of the Central Bank, which is aimed at enlightening the governors on the necessary steps to ensure the success of the program in their various states.
“The meeting will finalise the agreement into a partnership between the forum and the CBN.
“Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu who has been modifying the NGF group in the agriculture sector will also provide insight on the partnership at the meeting, according to the invitation sent to the Governors by the Director-General of the Forum, Mr. Asishana Bayo Okauru.
“The meeting starts at 5 pm but Governors can join at 4. Meanwhile, an NGF Peer Learning Event (PLE) will be preceding the meeting on this same day.
“The sixth NGF Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Peer Learning Event which attracts a host of IGR experts will take place at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Asokoro District in Abuja.
“The Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Ekiti State Dr. John Kayode Fayemi and the Minister for Finance Budget and National Planning Hajiya Zainab Ahmed will both give a keynote address while there will be goodwill messages from the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Mohammed Mamman Nami and Shubham Chaudri, Country Director of the World Bank to Nigeria, Western and Central Africa.
“Some of the key lessons at the event will include how digitalisation helps to sustain revenue collection during the Covid19 pandemic and how states can choose the right incentives for the right taxpayer group.
“Those who are expected to share their experiences based on their success stories include the Jigawa State Commissioner for Finance, Ibrahim Babangida Umar, the Executive Chairman of the FIRS in Lagos State, Ayodele Hamzat Subair and Asuquo Ekpenyong the Commissioner for Finance in Cross River State.
“Ten states are expected to attend the PLE which will be declared open by the Director-General of the NGF, Asishana Bayo Okauru.”