As part of measures to mitigate the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic, the 36 governors of the federation have jettisoned physical meetings and resorted to teleconference.
The governors, under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), on Sunday March 29, 2020, had a teleconference meeting where they deliberated on the COVID-19 scourge in the country and agreed to hold weekly teleconference meetings to receive regular updates from all states and maintain a coordinated response to the pandemic.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting by Kayode Fayemi, the NGF Chairman, the governors said they were committed to ensuring that there was seamless movement of essential commodities throughout the country during this period of the lockdown.
Also, the group said a protocol for the movement of essential services would be developed and shared with all state governments through the NGF secretariat.
“Governors are committed to ensuring that there is seamless movement of essential commodities throughout the country during this period of the lockdown.
“Through the NGF Secretariat, a protocol for the movement of essential services will be developed and shared with all state governments.
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“To strengthen private sector-led support for the COVID-19 pandemic, the NGF Secretariat will serve as the coordination mechanism by tracking the COVID-19 essential needs of all states, including equipment for contact tracing/sample collection, diagnosis and treatment.
“The NGF Secretariat has worked with the National Economic Council Ad-Hoc Committee on COVID-19 to examine the impact of the pandemic on both the federal and state governments and has recommended a set of actions to manage the crisis.
“Members strongly emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and State Ministries of Health to strengthen preventive measures and the health response to the pandemic.
“Finally, members agreed to hold weekly teleconference meetings to receive regular updates from all states and maintain a coordinated response to the pandemic,” read the communiqué in part.
The NGF chairman said he also briefed state governors on various state-level coordination with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the private sector through the Food, Beverages and Pharmaceuticals Association led by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), as well as the MTN Foundation and the Donor Group led by Messrs Aliko Dangote and Herbert Wigwe.
The governors also received an update from Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, and Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on the federal government’s efforts to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as well as plans to increase the capacity of states to improve testing and care for COVID-19 cases.
