The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) yesterday denied its involvement in any alleged demand by state governors on the Federal Government (FG) to retire all federal civil servants who are above 50 years.
The forum said it was also not aware of the reported demand by state governors on the FG to raise taxes and levy anyone earning N30,000 and above monthly.
An online publication had claimed that the governors presented the proposal in which they also urged the FG to begin implementation of the updated Stephen Oronsaye Report.
The Oronsaye committee had recommended the merger and shutdown of agencies and parastatals with duplicated or contested functions as a way to address bureaucratic inefficiency and reduce the cost of governance.
The demands, the online report claimed, were intended to augment the current shortfall in FG’s earnings.
However, NGF’s spokesman, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said the forum was unaware of such developments.
Bello-Barkindo said he could not comment on issues that have not been tabled before the NGF.
By Eric Ikhilae,
The Nation