Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The National Economic Council (NEC) Ad-Hoc Committee set up to engage with youths, civil society organizations, and different strands of leadership across the nation in the wake of the recent protests has commenced work.
It has resolved that the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory should meet with groups of youths, traditional rulers and political leaders under their jurisdiction.
Led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the committee’s action is furtherance of the resolution of an emergency meeting of NEC last week, also resolved that after the engagements at the state level, the VP and other members of the committee should lead further engagements at the zonal levels.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement he issued after the virtual meeting of the committee.
The statement was titled “Fallouts of protests: NEC committee to engage youths, others, swing into action.”
The statement read, “In furtherance of the resolution of an emergency meeting of the National Economic Council last week, the Ad-Hoc Committee set up to engage with youths, civil society organisations, and different strands of leadership across the nation in the wake of the recent protests have swung into action.
“At a meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, earlier today (Tuesday), the committee decided to promptly embark on a two-pronged engagement process: zonal and state-based respectively.
“For the state-based engagements, each of the 36 state governors and FCT Minister would meet with the leadership and representatives of the identified groups in their states.
“This would then be immediately followed by zonal interactions where the Vice President and members of the committee would feature.”
According to the statement, the engagements will not only include youth groups but also traditional, religious and political leaders, civil society groups as well as opinion moulders like the media.
Akande said the interactions would feature issues around employment, social safety nets and national unity and security of lives and properties among others.
He said the virtually meeting attended by all governors representing each of the six geopolitical zones in the country also formally adopted the following the committee’s terms of reference.
It listed the terms of reference to include to engage representatives of youths, Civil Society Organisations annd others, political, religious and traditional leaders on employment and social safety net programmes among other issues; to engage with security agencies and develop ways of delivering more control to state governors who are the Chief Security Officers of their states; and to recommend effective solutions to the rising divisiveness and propose ways of strengthening national unity.
Others are to develop a framework for the coordination of action steps to be taken by both the Federal and State Governments in response to the fundamental issues underlying the EndSARs protests; to co-opt and or invite any individual or corporate body that may facilitate the work of the committee; and report to council with such recommendations as may be considered appropriate.
Members of the committee chaired by Osinbajo are Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) representing North West; Babagana Zulum (Borno) representing North East; Abubakar Bello (Niger) representing North Central; Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) representing South West; Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) representing South East; and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) representing South South.