Adedokun Waliyu 
The Nigerian Governors Forum has asked the National Assembly to step down the Infectious Disease Bill to allow for wider consultations with stakeholders.
It also set up a three-member committee made up of governors Aminu Masari (Katsina), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Simon Lalong (Plateau) to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly over the issue.
This was contained in a communique signed by the Chairman of the forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, after the 8th COVID-19 teleconference meeting of the NGF held on Wednesday.
The communique was issued on Thursday made it known that the governors, who also expressed concerns over the rising cases of COVID-19 cases across the nation, resolved to among other things, work in collaboration with the Dangote Foundation to set up and train a volunteer health workforce and increase the tempo of setting up isolation centres.
They also resolved to make available additional warehouses to store palliatives donated by the private sector and ensure that such donations get to the most vulnerable people in each state.
The governors also agreed to take additional measures to strengthen their public financial management systems, including a revision of their 2020 budgets and the amendment of State procurement guidelines to support e-procurement and the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises.
