PDP GOVERNORS' FORUM

...says Oyo people, Nigerians must look forward to prosperous 2021 ...we'll continue to put people first in every decision - Gov Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that residents of the state and Nigerians should be thankful to God for surviving 2020, stating that though many would describe the year as a tough one, God's grace saw them through the various challenges that characterised the year. The governor maintained that despite various events that set the state back economically, the state government was still able to record a huge reduction in the infrastructure deficit of the state. Makinde, according to a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, stated these in a 2021 New Year Address made available to newsmen in Ibadan. He noted that though 2020 was characterised by drop in oil prices, which led to a huge drop in revenue from federal allocations and the attendant economic meltdown, the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the #EndSAR...

... Establishes N500m Pension Liability ...As Gov. Tambuwal Gives Automatic Promotion To State SFTAS C'ttee Team The World Bank has granted Sokoto State Government $22 million for its commitment to the implementation of the States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) program. A breakdown of the grant shows that the state got $5 million in November for approving COVID-19 budget, while it got the balance of $17.4 million for its 2019 fiscal performance two weeks ago. The state government clinched the grant after its astronomical score in the SFTAS ranking from 2/5 in 2019 to 14/15 in 2020, which puts it among the top three states in the country to achieve such ranking. The grant it garnered from the World Bank last year was $2.5 million. Also in the period under review, the state government doubled its share of the federally collected PAYE tax and undertook a forensic audit of its pension benefits, thus establishing "a liability of over N500 million whi...

Rivers State Deputy Governor Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has reiterated Governor Wike’s commitment to continue to lead the State into the path of peace, development and prosperity.  The Deputy Governor reiterated this in a statement from the Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday, 31st December, 2020 to felicitate with the Rivers People in the New Year. Dr. Banigo said the State Chief Executive, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is poised to continue to deliver unprecedented top notch infrastructural, economic and socio-political development in all nooks and crannies of Rives State, adding that the year 2021 would open up more vistas of blessings and prosperity for the Rivers People. Dr. Banigo who urged the Rivers People to continue to support the Governor Wike led Administration, assured the Rivers People that the Governors Commitment to protect and defend the interest of the Rivers People at all times is not negotiable. The Deputy Governor wished the First Family and the good People o...

Governor Ahmadu Umar Fintiri of Adamawa State has  offered his best wishes to Residents of the State for the New Year 2021. "As we witness another year, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year". Governor Fintiri noted that it is always a hopeful time celebrating the end of year and the beginning of a New Year. He said that 2020 was a difficult year and urges the people to look back with the hope that better days are ahead. "I urge you to keep hope alive for a better 2021 despite the challenges of the outgone year. We must rise up with courage and determination to meet challenges ahead". The Governor expressed appreciation to the People for their show of support and understanding in 2020 asking them to make more commitments to be change agents in their various communities. "We have a lot of work to do in the New Year". He said assuring that he's not one to fail the People. The freshair Governor reminded citizens of the State about the actio...

Today, I join millions of Bauchi State citizens and all other residents of Bauchi State, as we mark the passing of 2020 and the beginning of the year, 2021. Given the peculiar challenges of the outgoing year, a year in which we were confronted with daunting health, economic, security and social challenges, I am sure that the good people of the state, indeed Nigerians in general, irrespective of ethnic colouration, political differences or religious persuasions, will be united in ushering in what, hopefully, should be the dawn of a new era, a new year of restoration and revival. I congratulate the good people of Bauchi State, in particular, for overcoming the myriad of challenges in the year 2020. Never before have the people been so gruesomely tested: from Yellow and Lassa Fevers, to the Covid-19 virus, from the slowdown in the economy and ecological disasters, to ever looming security challenges. But the good news is that you took it all in stride, relying on our historical resilience...

Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, has advised the people of the state to remain steadfast in their support for his administration's battle against insecurity, COVID-19 and economic challenges facing the state today. He wants them to be hopeful as the administration is determined to take steps that will bring a lot more succour for them. In his New Year message to the people of the state, Gov. Ishaku congratulated them for surviving the scourge of Covid-19 pandemic and the economic hardships that came with it. He attributed the low rate of Covid-19 infections and zero fatality in Taraba State to his government's aggressive combat strategy and the cooperation of the people. He assured that government's proactive measures that have so far proved effective in containing the spread of the pandemic in the state would be further energised in the new year.  He urged the people to play their own role by fully embracing the protocols for checking the spread of the pa...

...Govt Prioritises Road Infrastructure Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has signed the 2021 Appropriation Bill of N329.29 billion into law. Governor Diri had on November 26 presented an estimate of N290.295 billion tagged "Budget of Growth" to the state House of Assembly. While assenting to the bill on Wednesday evening in Government House, Yenagoa, the governor said the increase in the figure would address areas of deficit identified in the appropriation bill as well as assist in the infrastructure development of the state. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as noting that the increase in the 2021 budget was intended to tackle the completion of the three senatorial roads, the AIT/Igbogene ring road project and construction of the Gloryland Drive in addition to rehabilitation of the internal roads within the Yenagoa metropolis. His words: "We had a challenging year 2020. All what we anticipated did not go as plann...

His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State, has asked all parties to the land disputes involving some landlords in Agudama community and the Central Naval Command to maintain status quo. Gov. Diri, who met with some of the landlords at Government House, Yenagoa, announced a fact-finding committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Rt. Hon. Friday Konbowei Benson, to look into the complaints and turn in its report within two weeks. The committee is to find out "who owns the land in dispute and who are the aggressors".

...Admonishes Him To Re-Appraise Self Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has described the State's Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice as a very smart person,  dedicated, ardent and devout. Gov. Tambuwal made the observation when he hosted a state dinner in honour of the Commissioner, Hon. Suleiman Usman (SAN), on Wednesday at the  Presidential Lodge, Sokoto. According to him, the trajectory of the Commissioner's career has been "successful, remarkable and impactful over his twenty years of service both in public and private sectors." Expressing gratitude to God, the governor further described the Attorney-General "as someone who has lots of intellectual prowess, committed, passionate and has the fear of God." He said since he first met him in 1991, he has found it convenient to bring him close and never regretted doing so, despite the fact that "we sometimes have disagreements as persons and politicians." "But we always iron...

His Excellency, Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has just signed into law the 2021 budget of N329,029,043,669. Gov. Diri, thanked the leadership and members of the State House of Assembly for the expeditious passage of the appropriation bill presented to the lawmakers last month. "I laid before you on the 26th November an appropriation bill of N290,295,465,423 and now you have used your own parameters to raise the figure to N329,029,043,669 in the interest of our people. This shows synergy between the executive and the legislative arms", Gov. Diri stated. The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, presented the appropriation bill for the governor's assent.

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has noted with delight the courage exhibited by Dr.  Chidi Lloyd in giving his late father a proper burial, which has also been used to establish his roots in Akpabu community in Emohua Local Government Area. The governor made the remark on Wednesday at the funeral service for the proper burial of Late Mr. Lloyd Joseph Amadioha, the father of former Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly,  Dr. Chidi Lloyd, in Akpabu community. Late Mr. Lloyd Joseph Amadioha died and was buried in Buguma Town in 1975, where he then lived as a businessman. Governor Wike noted that Dr. Lloyd had done the right thing as a good son, to give a proper burial to his late father, which will make the departed father to be proud of him. "I thank Chidi Lloyd for bringing back his father home to give him a proper burial. If you did not do this, most people would have been asking, are you sure that Chidi Lloyd is from Akpabu?" "But this has confirmed...

Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade, Wednesday, signed the state's 2021 budget into law. Christened, Budget of Blush and Bliss, the 2021 budget has a total sum of N281.9billion, a sharp reduction from the previous budget sizes of over 1.01trillion. Speaking at the signing ceremony which held at the State Executive Chambers of the Governor's Office, Calabar, Ayade disclosed that the budget has made provisions for the establishment of a state polytechnic. It also has provisions for social welfare schemes like grants and other financial benefits to help cushion the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the people. He disclosed that the size of the budget was smaller when compared with previous budgets that were in the region of over One trillion Naira. The governor attributed this to the fact that his administration has decided to reduce the financial commitments of the state in key projects such as the Bakassi Deep Seaport and the 275km superhighway to just five percent. These...

  . ..Promises Appropriation Law will benefit Enugu State people Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Wednesday, assented to the 2021 budget bill, passed by the State House of Assembly.   Assenting to the bill, estimated at One Hundred and Sixty Nine Billion, Eight Hundred and Forty Five Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Naira (N169,845, 758,500.00), Gov. Ugwuanyi thanked members of the State House of Assembly for their partnership with the state government as well as diligent discharge of their legislative responsibilities which saw to the smooth and timely passage of the budget.  The governor who also thanked God for 2020, prayed that the coming year will be better.  Reiterating his resolve to continue to serve Enugu State with the fear of God, Gov. Ugwuanyi promised that the 2021 budget will benefit the people of the state, for them to continue to enjoy democracy dividends. Presenting the budget for assent at the Government...