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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The 43rd virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the National Poverty Reduction With Growth Strategy’ (NPRGS) submitted by Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC).
Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who headed PEAC, is to chair Steering Committee to provide overall guidance for implementation.
The council also approved the implementation of the Strategy’ and its incorporation into the medium-term national development plan 2021-2025 and agenda 2050.
It also directed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to prepare a bill for submission to National Assembly to make the implementation of the strategy sustainable.
Adesina said council noted the growing poverty in the country and the efforts to redress the situation.
He said council also noted that President Buhari had pledged to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years and the promised will be two years old on June 12, adding that it is work in progress and the work will get done.
According to Adesina, PEAC had some weeks back submitted the national poverty reduction with growth strategy to the federal executive council, “and it was widely debated today, and eventually passed as a conclusion.
“And these are some of the things, the federal executive council noted the worsening poverty situation in the country and the efforts of the federal government to redress that situation. It’s not as if government is not aware that there is poverty in the land but things are been done. One of it is this national poverty reduction with growth strategy that was presented today.
“The Council also noted that the President pledged to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years, actually, by June 12 this year, that promise will be two years old. It was noted that it is work in progress, and it is work that will get done.
“The council noted that the President has directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the chairman presidential economic Advisory Council on the need to come up with a sustainable Poverty Reduction Strategy. And that strategy is what is already codified in this volume and it was widely discussed and passed.
“The council noted the contributions of stakeholders, comments and observations made by FEC members on this volume and the presentation of the NPRGS has been duly incorporated into the strategy. They also noted the final articulation of a two volume, national poverty reduction with growth strategy, and its major pillars. The strategy are encapsulated in these two volumes, which you may need to get familiar with the contents of the strategy. “A national steering committee, chaired by the Vice President is to provide overall guidance for the implementation of this strategy in these two volumes. The Council approved the implementation of the national poverty reduction growth strategy. It approved the incorporation of the strategy into the medium term national development plan 2021 to 2025 and agenda 2050 and directed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to prepare a bill for submission to the National Assembly to make the implementation of the national Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy sustainable.”
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, regretted the incessant attacks on the camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Speaking against the background of the attack by suspected herdsmen on the Abagana IDP camp in Benue state, which led to the death of seven persons, he called for the beefing up of security around them.
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She said that her ministry was working assiduously to alleviate the suffering of the IDPs and facilitate their return to their homes.
Farouk stated: “Really a very sad development and I’m sure the security agencies are on top of it. What I can say is that there should be enhanced security around these areas where we have these incessant attacks.
“For us in the ministry, we do our best to see that these displaced people are being supported and catered for while we work towards returning them back to their communities.”
Farouk, said council approved the sum of N60.273 million for the Procurement of Poultry for Borno and Plateau States (Lot C5) in favour of Messrs Nasim & Janan Collection Limited; thereby revising the initial contract sum from N1,238,066,064.00 to N1,298,339,064.00 only, representing 4.86 percent increase on the original contract sum.
She said council also approved the Procurement of Poultry for Yobe and Zamfara States (Lot C9) in favour of Messrs Bravura Tech. Limited in the sum of N15.880,250 million only; thereby revising the initial contract sum from N324,716,836.00 to N340,525,086.00 only, representing a 4.87 percent increase on the original contract sum.
On his part, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, announced that FEC approved a facility maintenance contract for the Nigerian Content House, Yenegoa at the cost of N2.1billion.
The contract was awarded to Messrs Megastar Nigeria Ltd.
Sylvia stated the other memo approved for his ministry was for the operations and maintenance of a 10 megawatts power plant also in Yenagoa.
“Council also graciously approved the operations and maintenance contract for the sum of N712 million for two years. All the contract that were presented today before Council were for an initial period of two years,” he said.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geofrey Onyeama said FEC, adopted a National Diaspora Policy engineered by the Nigerian Diaspora Commission led by Abike Dabiri.
He explained: “This policy really is aimed at formalising and giving a structure to the relationship between the country and government and the Nigerians in the diaspora, of which, you know, the 17 or more million Nigerians in the diaspora, and they constitute a very, very important part of the Nigerian community.
“This policy aims to promote national development through engagement, constructive engagement with the Nigerians in the diaspora.
“In fact, for them to be really an integral part of march towards greater development, and utilising all these skills and all the resources that they have.”
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