Secretaries to State Governments (SSGs) in All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled states have pledged to implement targeted reforms aimed at boosting internally-generated revenue (IGR) without placing undue financial pressure on citizens.
This commitment was made during the forum’s strategic quarterly meeting, which concluded on Friday in Abuja.
According to the Chairperson of the Forum and Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Mrs Falashade Ayoade, the initiative seeks to consolidate transformative policies and design innovative policy briefs to guide APC-governed states in sustaining democratic dividends and enhancing governance.
“The forum resolved to drive state-specific reforms for expanding the IGR base through data-driven tax administration, smart incentives for the informal sector, improved land use and signage charges, and fiscal autonomy,” she said.
Ayoade highlighted other key resolutions of the meeting, including the institutionalisation of youth leadership development, grassroots citizen engagement, and increased government transparency.
The forum also committed to championing digital governance by deploying shared digital infrastructure across ministries, departments, and agencies, and enhancing interstate data collaboration to improve service delivery.
Drawing from the sub-national Economic Transformation Brief, Ayoade reiterated the forum’s support for economic diversification, skill development, agro-processing, and the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as strategies to reduce unemployment.
The meeting further resolved to tackle sanitation challenges by localising policies aimed at ending open defecation through partnerships with religious and traditional leaders.
Ayoade praised President Bola Tinubu’s leadership and his Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its emphasis on innovation, digital inclusion, and economic recovery, noting its alignment with the forum’s priorities.
She reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and performance-based governance, adding that digital tools would be adopted to automate and streamline processes.
Commending the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) Secretariat, Ayoade acknowledged the technical leadership of its Director-General, Folorunso Aluko, for driving effective policy coordination across APC states.
Earlier, Aluko described the meeting as a critical platform for policy coherence and transformative leadership, stressing that Nigeria’s future depends on the precision of policy and integrity of governance.
(NAN)