THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL HAS EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERN OVER THE RISE IN NUMBER OF CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID 19 IN NIGERIA, CALLING ON STATE GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF ALL THE NON-PHARMACEUTICAL GUIDELINES AND PROTOCOLS.
NEC ALSO RESOLVED TO ENLARGE ITS CURRENT AD-HOC COMMITTEE LED BY THE GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE IFEANYI OKOWA AND MANDATED THE COMMITTEE TO URGENTLY CONSIDER AND PROPOSE ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO MANAGE THE CURRENT SURGE IN THE NUMBER OF COVID 19 IN NIGERIA.
BRIEFING STATE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS AT THE END OF ITS SEVENTH VIRTUAL MEETING CHAIRED BY VICE PRESIDENT YEMI OSINBAJO AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA ABUJA, THE GOVERNOR OF PLATEAU STATE SIMON LALONG SAID STATE GOVERNORS AGREED TO ENSURE STRICT COMPLIANCE TO SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES.
HE ADDED THAT NEC ALSO CONSIDERED THE ISSUE OF LOCKDOWN TO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, BUT RESOLVED TO ALLOW STATES TO DECIDE.
THE GOVERNOR OF KWARA STATE ABDULRAHMAN ABDULRAZAK SAID NEC COMMISERATED WITH PRESIDENT BUHARI, THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF KATSINA STATE OVER THE ABDUCTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN KANKARA AND CALLED ON SECURITY AGENCIES TO ENSURE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE STUDENTS.
HE SAID NEC DIDN’T RECEIVE ANY UPDATE ON THE BUDGET SUPPORT LOAN FACILITY TO STATES AS DEDUCTIONS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED DUE TO COVID 19.
NEC ALSO RECEIVED BRIEFING FROM THE THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING ZAINAB AHMED ON THE BALANCES IN THE EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT, STABILIZATION ACCOUNT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ACCOUNT AS AT SEVENTEEN OF NOVEMBER 2020.
EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT: $72,410,574.08
STABILIZATION ACCOUNT: #26,433,355,427.91 Naira
DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES: #156,690,002,234.58
