Security Votes: Governors To Meet EFCC, CBN Tuesday

The governors of the 36 states in the country will meet with officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, among others to iron out issues surrounding states’ security votes on Tuesday, March 4.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, through its head, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, announced this on Sunday.

He said the meeting which was slated for Tuesday, April 4, according to an invitation issued by the Director General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Asishana Okauru, would be virtual, to ensure full attendance by all the relevant officers in the matter.

In a statement, the Director, Media and Public Affairs of the NGF, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said, “Those invited to the meeting include the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, and the CBN''.

Bello-Barkindo further noted that “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 last year, to further the financial inclusion of all citizens in the ensuing scheme of things, going forward.”

The NGF media aide maintained that the meeting was called at the instance of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, in its letter dated March 30, which was addressed to the Chairman of the NGF and signed by the NFIU Director, Modibbo Tukur.

“Also on the agenda is a consensus on harmonising 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,” the letter said.

The letter further observed that all governors were advised to prioritise the meeting as its contents had been discussed at the NGF emergency meeting of Thursday, March, 30, where it was unanimously agreed that a meeting with the afore-mentioned agencies was imperative.