APC States Adopt Common Strategy for Security, Revenue Generation
Seek more initiatives to reduce social tension
Secretaries to the State Governments under the control of All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend concluded a two-day meeting in Lagos after which they endorsed a common strategy for tackling armed insurgencies and boosting internally generated revenue (IGR).
Also, the states recommended that more initiatives should be developed to reduce social tension, youth restiveness and reduce poverty, though admitted that different social investment programmes the federal government initiated might not end the crisis of unemployment.
The states adopted these policy strategies in a communiqué they issued after a two-day meeting held at Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja, calling for more collaboration and cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels amongst the APC states to ensure sustained development.
The meeting was attended by 18 APC states, Director-General of Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman and the representative of the World Bank, Ms. Eme Essien Lore, Country Manager, Nigeria, International Finance Corporation (IFC), among others.
The meeting, which was hosted by Lagos State Government, identified common issues of governance that could be replicated across all the APC states after key presentations on different initiatives.
The communiqué, which was read by Secretary to Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, recommended the establishment of Security Trust Funds in APC states, citing its effectiveness in containing security threat, ensuring crime prevention and reducing violence in Lagos State.
The communiqué acknowledged the efforts of the federal and states governments in tackling security issues in Nigeria, particularly the Boko Haram insurgency, though urged all APC states “to take more proactive actions regarding all security challenges.”
The communiqué, also, emphasised the need for enhanced resources, thereby advising all member-states “to restructure their IGR agencies and processes by adopting a private sector model and application of modern technologies to improve their revenue base.”
It equally recognised the efforts of all APC state governments in infrastructural renewal and development, suggesting that more resources be deployed “to intra and interstate infrastructural development to facilitate effective integration and easy movement of people, goods and services.”
It canvassed the development of more initiatives to reduce social tension, youth restiveness and reduce poverty taking cognisance of different social investment programmes the federal government had rolled out to stem the incidence of unemployment.
It sought cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels amongst the APC states “to promote common focus that addresses the issues of agriculture more effectively. This will promote self-sufficiency in food production for all APC states and provide employment for the youths.
“The meeting agreed to continually share information, ideas and knowledge through its quarterly meetings and the PGF secretariat to promote synergy across the member states and facilitate greater cooperation for sustainable development,” the communiqué said.