Set up Security Trust Fund, SGS Urges States

Secretaries to Governments of All Progressives Congress (APC) States (SGSs), yesterday rose from the 2nd Quarterly meeting under the auspices of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), and urged governors to set up a Security Trust Fund, with a view to improving security in the country.

This call was contained in a communique read by the Secretary to the Sokoto State Government, Prof. Bashir Garba, made available to THISDAY in Sokoto at the weekend.

The communique advised that member States should adopt and adapt the Security Trust Fund model law produced from PGF’s Legislative Expert Session. It also recommended that at least one per cent of total costs of all contracts awarded by States and Local Governments be paid into the Trust Fund.

The meeting acknowledged the critical need for enhanced revenue base of States and recommended that States should adopt the Collection and Administration of Revenue Model law to establish an Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

According to the communique, this is to enhance the generation of resources in each of the APC states to engender implementation of policy initiatives. It also urged APC state governments as a bloc to align their agricultural policies with those of the Federal Government to maximise their benefits.

“The States should also work with the private sector to strengthen all year farming through increased investment in irrigation, farm mechanisation, expand land utilisation and introduce smart and precision agriculture. There is also the need to develop clusters of farmers within and across states and provide supports to the clusters across the value chain,” the communique read.