States get FG’s N656bn support

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sum of N656 billion new bridge financing facility to the 36 states of the federation. 

Each of the state governments will receive the sum of N18.225 billion to help in meeting financial obligations, especially the previous budget support facility due for repayment. 

The states will be required to repay the latest loan with a 30-year tenor and a two-year moratorium at an interest rate of nine per cent. 

This was disclosed at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday. 

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, had informed the council that the bridge facility is now being processed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). 

The money will be disbursed in six tranches over a period of six months to the states. 

She affirmed that the facility is to help the states afford the repayment of previous bailout facilities guaranteed for them by the Federal Government. 

At the July meeting of the council, the finance minister had informed that deductions from state governments would soon commence as repayment for the previous bailout from the CBN. 

Subsequently, the states sought further support leading to the idea of bridge financing. A statement issued by the spokesman of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, also said at the meeting, the Executive Director/CEO of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, briefed the members on the status of the country’s COVID-19 vaccine roll-out. 

He noted that Nigeria had received over 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX, African Union and othes, which, he said, was sufficient to ramp up vaccination for about 50 per cent of the targeted population. 

According to him, the total eligible population of Nigerians for the vaccine is over 111 million. “Given the availability of vaccines, we have started rolling out a plan to vaccinate 50 per cent of Nigerians, 18 years and above by January 31, 2022,” the NPHCDA DG said, adding that there would be a scaling up of over 3,000 health facilities nationwide. 

In his presentation to the council on state performance report on COVID-19, Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, said Nigerians must continue to maintain and sustain the COVID-19 response, especially as it enters the holiday period where there will be anticipated travels within and outside the country, as well as mass events. 

Adetifa said the country should “maintain visibility of the outbreak by testing, continuing to encourage adherence to public health and social measures, encourage vaccination and address vaccine hesitancy.”

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