Governors to meet EFCC, CBN, Others to Address Security Votes

Governors of the 36 states of the federation 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 meeting, which is to take place on Tuesday April 4, according to an invitation issued by the Director General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr. Asishana Bayo Okauru, 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.

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 national currency, the Nigerian Naira, last year, to further the financial inclusion of all citizens in the ensuing scheme of things, going forward.

This meeting is called 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.

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.

NASENI STAFF URGES FG TO ENSURE COMPLETION OF REMITTANCES TO FUND ACTIVITIES

The joint action congress of the staff unions in NASENI has appealed to relevant authorities to ensure the release of the complete remittances due to the Agency.

The Union at its joint press briefing in Abuja said this would greatly assist the Agency in meeting its mandate.

NASENI by its mandate is designed to conduct developmental work in the areas of manufacturing so that it can coordinate the proliferation of technologies developed in Nigeria.

Under the tenure of its present Executive Vice Chairman Professor Sani Haruna, the agency has had a new lease of life and a better understanding between the workers’ Unions and management.

But funding to enable the Union meet the lofty targets it has set for itself, has remained a major challenge

The federal government had directed the Federal Inland Revenue Service to collect and remit the statutory deductions due to the agency inline with the agency’s Act.

Since the enactment of the Act, its funding provisions have not been fully implemented.

Here at this briefing, the joint staff Unions complain that the partial funding of the agency has greatly affected its efficiency.

They call on all concerned to ensure the speedy implementation of the full remitrqnces due to the agency, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Unions also describe the extension of tenure of the executive vice chairman of the agency, professor Haruna, as a smart move by the president which will help the incoming government and the Nigeria economy.