Buhari presides over brief FEC

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over his first meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) since January 19when he traveled out on medical vacation.

Dressed in white flowing gown and white cap to match, he strolled into the Council Chambers at about 10.02 am and immediately requested Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi to offer the Christian opening prayer.

When that was done, he looked around for Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed who who did not immediately norice among the members of the council seated, prompting him to say: “I have not seen Lai.”

The minister responded: “I’m here sir,” eliciting laughter from his colleagues.

He thereafter requested him to say the Muslim prayers and the meeting went into its usual closed door session.

The meeting lasted for about two and half hours.

Briefing State House correspondents after the end of the meeting, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, disclosed that the council approved the establishment of the Nigeria Industrial Council to stimulate the activities of industries in the country.

With Enelamah were Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed and his Health counterpart, Isaac Adewole.

Enelamah said the council will engage the private sector to develop a viable policy for nation’s industrial sector.

He said the industrial council‎ will be chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and will have two vice presidents from both the government and the private sector while membership will be drawn from private sector and relevant ministries.

On his part, the Health minister revealed that the council also approved Draft Bill for National Centre for Disease Control.

According to him, council approved the draft bill to give legal backing for the establishment of the National centre for disease control which enables it to have its own board, recruit its personnel and a Chief Executive Officer appointed.

Adewole said the National Center for Disease Control has already been provided for in the budget and therefore there would be no extra cost incurred.

He explained that the center which has been in operation since 2012, was instrumental in combating the deadly Ebola virus and Lassa fever.

Adewole said government’s intention was to strengthen the public health intervention to make it more proactive over future epidemic.

The minister explained: “To move the agenda of public health intervention forward, what is known internationally is that there will always be another epidemic‎ or another disease outbreak but what we do not know is when and where it will happen. What we need to do is to get ourselves prepared for the next epidemic.”

He added: “So, what we have done today is to provide legal framework for this agency so that it can validly perform the role that is expected of such role that is expected of such frontline agency.”