Juliana  Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has resolved to nominate a team to interface with National Assembly over the creation of State Police.

The governors took the decision during their meeting yesterday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

At the close of a two-day summit on national security organised by the Senate, state governors and the federal parliament had agreed to allow states to have their police.

They backed Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who stated at the opening of the event last Thursday, that state police was “the way to go.”

Other issues on the agenda is the Recovery of stamp duties and Improving Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) through harmonised motor registry/traffic management system by Dimensions Information Technology.

The meeting, which started at 9:00pm, was presided over by the NGF Chairman and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari. 

The first meeting for the year held on January 17, and they were briefed by the constitutional amendment committee headed by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, on the health agenda for 2018, which was meant to get their commitment to universal health care coverage, polio eradication and nutrition, among others.

The governors were also briefed by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun on the finances due to the states.

Those in attendance as at the time of filing this report were, governors of Bauchi, Mohammed Abubakar; Borno, Kashim Shettima;  Edo, Godwin Obaseki; Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Kogi, Yahaya Bello; Kwara, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Jigawa, Ibrahim Hassan.

Others were the governors of Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu; Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai; Nasarawa, Tanko Al-makura and Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje. 

 The deputy governors in attendance were those of Benue, Benson Abounu; Ebonyi, Kelechi Igwe; Enugu, Cecelia Ezeilo; Plateau, Sonni Gwanle Tyoden; Osun, Titi Laoye-Tomori and Rivers, Ipalibo Banigo.

Others were the deputy governors of Ogun, Yetunde Onanuga; Akwa Ibom, Moses Ekpo; Ekiti, Kolapo Olusola; Sokoto, Ahmed Aliyu and Lagos, Dr Oluranti Adebule.