By Abdullahi M. Gulloma
Abuja
The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said it is taking steps to access the $500 million from the World Bank to improve infrastructure and other development activities in the 36 states of the federation.
This was disclosed by the chairman of NGF and Governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, when governors received briefing from some international and local agencies on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the State House in Abuja.
He said the governors have received assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that it was ready to fund the country’s economy through efficient delivery of its mandate.
“There are funds from the World Bank which states cannot access because we don’t know how to move forward as a result of lack of expertise. Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health briefed us on how we can access the $500 million in that area.
“Secondly, we used to complain of the NNPC, but with the facts we have got today, it is different in the sense that the NNPC is going to be a different Organisation. It is going to fund the economy fully in the sense that there won’t be any question of pipeline breaking or stealing of oil. We have taken care of that especially we are looking at, instead of using the military only, why don’t we use technology to safeguard our pipelines,” he said.
He said yesterday’s meeting with the development partners and officials of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government was at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said eight agencies were scheduled to brief the governors, but only three could be taken at the meeting which lasted for over six hours due to time constraint, adding that the remaining five would be taken next month on a date to be announced later.
He said: Today, this meeting with heads of so many agencies which made presentations to us. Some of them were ordered by Mr. President to do the presentation so that they make us understand where they are and what they are up to.
“We are supposed to take eight but because of the time constraints, we are only able to take three. We have taken United Nations Population Fund, we have taken the World Bank in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health on human development. And we have also taken the GMD NNPC
“By November we would take those that we are not able to take such as National Mathematical Centre and the National Communications Commission on the issue of digitalization and also NASENI.”
