Vice-President Shettima Chairs National Economic Council Meeting

The National Economic Council (NEC) of Nigeria is holding a meeting on Thursday, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The meeting began at around 11:30 AM Nigerian time in the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

At its meeting last month, the Council proposed a cash transfer programme in the country’s 36 states that would be based on their social register.

The proposal was made following the report of the ad hoc committee the Council set up at its meeting in June to look into palliatives that would be given to vulnerable Nigerians following the withdrawal of subsidy on petrol and the floating of the naira.

Also at its meeting last month, the Council proposed cash awards to public servants for six months.

Other issues that were on the agenda for the July meeting included increased funding for small businesses, the immediate implementation of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and the conversion of vehicles to be compressed natural gas compliant.

Governors present at the commencement of the meeting are Alex Otti, Umo Eno; Charles Soludo,  Bala Mohammed, Godwin Obaseki, Babagana Zulum and Francis Nwifuru of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Edo, Bornu and Ebonyi states respectively.

Others are the governors of Nassarawa State, Abdullahi Sule; Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Kwara State, Abdulrahman  AbdulRazak; Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya; Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal; Oyo State, Seyi Makinde; Jigawa State, Umar Namadi; Kaduna State, Uba Sani and Osun State, Ademola Adeleke.

Governors Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State; Bassey Out of Cross River State; Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State; Abba Yusuf of Kano State; Hope Uzodinma of Imo State; Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Peter Mba of Enugu State are also at the meeting.

Among others present at the meeting are the Acting Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu and the Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Folashodun Shonubi.

A communiqué is expected at the end of the meeting.