By Tereza Jeremiah Chuei
The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has called on the Presidency to ensure the sixth annual Governor’s Conference don’t turn into ‘Annual Political Tourism’.
CEPO Executive Director, Edmund Yakani, stated that the previous forum didn’t enforce the outcomes of the last year’s 5th Governors forum recommendations citing that it was totally below expectations.
In a Statement extended to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Yakani said, “Presidency should ensure that the event of the Governors and Chief Administrators should not end up as “Annual Political Tourism” for states governors, Chief Administrators and central government leaders because the implementation of the 5th Governors’ recommendations was almost zero”.
He echoed that the only recommendation that was noted and implemented by State governors and chief administrators was the recommendation on Personal Income Tax (PIT) collection.
The Statement stressed that the implementation of the PIT recommendation was absolutely abused (corrupted) by some state’s governors and chief administrators.
“So, in this 6th Governors Forum, it is essential that the central government concerned authorities should demand states’ governors and chief administrators’ transparent report on the PIT collection and usage” Edmund said.
“Resolution around political stability at the states and administrative areas, peace and security for individual and communities, human resources development and economic, return of schools land taken or given to investors and individuals, regulate movement of cattle to avoid conflict between pastoralists and farmers among others were not delivered by the concerned state governors and chief administrators” he said.
CEPO called on the political leaders at states, administrative areas and national government to take serious responsibility for utilizing the forum for bringing positive change to the lives of the citizens at states and administrative areas.
“Among key decisions that CEPO expects to be taken serious by the 6th Governors forum are; regulation of cattle movement, proper use of PIT, return of schools and youth lands given to investors; deadly communal violence mitigation, floods responses and presidency instructions on opening of political and civic space among others” said the statement.
CEPO urged the State Governors and Chief Administrators to endorse their campaign for the government to commit for promotion and protection of the rights of Persons with Disabilities at states, administrative areas and the central government.
The country on 22nd November 2022 will be witnessing (6th Governors Forum) of states governors and chief administrators of the administrative areas with the national government.
The governor’s forum is an annual meeting that bring the states and administrative areas and national government leaders together to discuss matters related to states and administrative areas, government performance and inter-linkages with the central government.