THE National Economic Council (NEC) has set up a 10-member committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to work with the federal government towards ending the killings attributed to herdsmen in the country.
The committee set up at its meeting presided over by the Vice President at the president villa, Abuja on Thursday is made up of nine state governors.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state, said the committee will work in commensurate terms with the commitment to end the violence.
He said: “On the farmers and herdsmen crisis, a council constituted a working group to collaborate with the federal government in addressing the issues of impunity regarding killings and violence.
“The committee consisting of nine governors under the chairmanship of the Vice President will work in accordance with commensurate commitment to ensure that all perpetrators of violence are brought to book.
“The committee consists of governors of Zamfara, Kaduna, Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, Ebonyi and Oyo States. The committee has started its meeting right after this NEC meeting.”
Ganduje also said that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, reported to council that the balance in Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at 15th January 2018 stood at $2,317 billion; Stabilisation account, N9,730 billion and Natural Resources Development Fund: N115,108 billion.
Giving an update on Budget Support Loan Facility, Governor Ganduje said Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun told NEC that N700 million has been disbursed to 11 states and the states that are having outstanding payments are required to meet and complete the necessary obligations before the disbursement is effected.
“The minister told the council that the criterion for disbursement is tied to government fiscal sustainable plan which the NEC and state governors had already approved,” he said.
NEC also considered an update and approved the need for domestic funding for the treatment of persons living with HIV in Nigeria.
Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State who briefed the media on the issue said the Ministry of Health and the National Action Council for AIDS (NACA) briefed the council on the matter.
He said: “NACA made presentations seeking increased funding for HIV services in Nigeria in order to achieve the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS by the Year 2030.
“The presentation stated that such an increase would reduce the dependency on donor funding for HIV services and the attendant development indicators.
“They also called for investment in HIV treatment that will lead to increased life expectancy in the country and a proportionate increase in GDP.
“They added that the need to invest in HIV/AIDS treatment is important because donor funding is on the decline because of economic circumstances.
“Reducing the gaps between those who require HIV medicare and treatment and those who are actually able to access it is another reason adduced to increasing investment in HIV.
“The presentation asked NEC to consider and approve the resolution of the 59th Council on Health that at least between 2.5 percent to 1 percent of the monthly federal allocations to states be earmarked for financing the implementation of HIV/AIDS sustainability roadmap.
“Council was also asked to consider and approve the universal free antenatal services and abolition of user fees associated with the prevention of mother to child transmission services.
“Council was also asked to request that the state health insurance scheme including HIV is an indicator for both testing and treatment, particularly as related to community health insurance programme.
“Council noted and approved the recommendations above as requested.
“Let me also state that the honourable minister presented an emergency situation on Lassa Fever especially in Ebonyi State where some health workers died from Lassa Fever last week.
“So, the honourable minister briefed that it was agreed that the federal government was going to intervene very quickly in the cases of Ebonyi State and Ogun States where this epidemic has developed.
“The third one is an update on Economic Recovery Growth Plan
“The honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning informed the council that the federal government is addressing economic situation in Nigeria through the ERGP covering between 2017 and 2020.
“Government needs to back up efforts to deliver the ERGP targets within the three years left to achieve and focus within the six sectors to deliver quick and fast results on investments and job creations,” Umahi said.
The sectors are: agriculture and transport, manufacturing and food processing, power and gas.
According to him, the investments are meant to achieve two principle Investment for critical projects and resolution of complex inter-agency problems that impede private sector investment.
“Council agreed that each state will have a contact point which means that we will have 36 states plus FCT that will now start the process to implement these programmes with the Honourable Minister for Budget and National Planning,” he added.
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