The 36 state governors of Nigeria, under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), have acknowledged the widespread hunger and hardship faced by Nigerians.
The governors made the acknowledgement during an emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
Rising from the meeting, the governors sympathized with Nigerians and expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.
Speaking with reporters, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, said the governors appreciate the President’s efforts to revamp the economy.
Uzodinma said, ” We deliberated on issues affecting the country, the forum received a presentation from the African Medical Center of Excellence, funded by the African Bank, a world-class hospital, and specialized techniques and latest and modern equipment to be managed by first-class medical experts in special areas of treatment on oncology, cardiovascular issues, haematological cares, and other comprehensive general medical research.
” The governors are committed to supporting the African Bank for this initiative. They are going to work with King’s College Hospital London, and it’s going to be a referral centre of excellence for all medical challenges.
“We also received the Supervisory Officer of NMPC, who briefed us on the total subsidy removal. And the challenges facing the corporation, and his plans to alleviate the sufferings of our people, occasioned by the increase of prices. We saw him and also interpreted some of the presentations he made. We hope that things are going to be better any moment from now.
“We sympathize with our people. We support them. We the route. It will be very proper and a better image, working at this organization, to ensure that Nigeria is secure, and the environment is safe.
“But not only the government but also the private sector to do their businesses. We will collaborate with them.
“The Office of the National Security Advisor appointed a director to liaise with the state governments for closer relationships. She also appeared before us. Spoke very eloquently. Presented her plans. We committed to also working with her. I think things are getting better. I will pray that with all these arrangements in place, the cost of living will come down.
“The cost of doing business in Nigeria will also come down and become more affordable. So Nigerian Governors Forum, we are also committed to supporting Mr. President and ensuring that the interests of our people are properly protected.
“It is our belief that Nigeria is a great country. And anything that will bring or cause disunity among our people, our citizens, should be discouraged. We need to be united as a people. We need to support the government. We need to work for the interests of our people.
“And our national interests are also protected. So we should have hope. Under the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President, supported by both the national government and all of us as citizens, there will be no better security than us being united, working together as a people, and believing in our country.”
Meanwhile, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kolo Kyari briefed the Governors at the meeting.
On what Kyari said, the Imo State Governor said, “Because, at this point, we still have the queues. Yeah, it is something that is being looked at. If you look at the news, you see that the Dangote Refinery has also come up with also capacity to supply products. I don’t think that you or I would be happy as a Nigerian, an OPEC member, producing crude oil, relying on importation for our people to use our petroleum products.
“We must encourage the homegrown solution that the President just introduced. Encouraging Dangote Refinery, we should repair our Fodacore Refinery, repair our Wari Refinery, repair our Cardinal Refinery, and then produce what we eat, and eat what we produce.
“We should be able to rely on importation of crude oil. For me, it is an aberration and an issue to rely on the importation of petroleum products as an oil-producing country.
“Which other member of OPEC country of our status is now refining crude oil in that country? So we shouldn’t encourage that. I think I want to support buying petroleum products in Naira, buying crude oil in Naira, and refining it.
“If you refine petroleum products locally, you will cure jobs, you will cure unemployment, you will keep people busy, you will reduce crime, and then you will also be proud to answer an oil-producing nation.
The communique also disclosed that “the new Director General of the Department of Security Services, also briefed us on new strategies to stop the rate of insecurity, all the security challenges in the country and how to fight cases of kidnapping, banditry, and activities of unknown gunmen. And we also committed to giving him support and to close rank. It will be very proper and a better synergy, working at the subnational to ensure that Nigeria is secure, the environment is safe.”