FG inaugurates 25-man inter-governmental affairs c’ttee
The Federal Government has inaugurated a 25-man Permanent Standing Committee on Inter-Governmental Affairs, as part of efforts for smooth coordination and synergy between the three tiers of government.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Gida Mustapha, who inaugurated the committee yesterday in Abuja, said it was reconstituted after it become dormant under the defunct Federal Ministry of Special duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.
He said that following the scrapping of the ministry at the inception of the present administration in 2015, two departments of the ministry, Special Duties and States and Local Governments Affairs were transferred to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation thus making the committee to dormant.
The SGF, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Funds Office (EFO), Mrs. Habiba Lawal, said that in reconstituting the committee, the scope of membership was expanded by bringing in members from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs,) Secretaries to State Governments (SSGs), Director-General of Governors Forum, and the SecretaryGeneral of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).
He listed the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the committee as: To serve as the coordinating link in the activities of the 3-tiers of Government in the fulfillment of their statutory obligations; remove all areas of frictions in the operation of the three-tiers of government; make appropriate policy inputs and recommendations on cross cutting activities of the threetiers of government; examine and take appropriate actions on petitions and complaints brought before it by the threetiers of government; promote a harmonious fiscal federalism between the three-tiers of government; and to handle issues as may arise or referred to it from time to time.
The SGF, who is also the chairman of the committee, said the committee can co-opt any MDA it considers necessary in carrying out its responsibilities.