• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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FG approves N13bn for Community Policing

Osinbajo-National Economic Council

Federal government on Thursday demonstrated strong commitments to tackling insecurities at the grass root with the approval of N13 billion for the take off of community policing

This was revealed at meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday (the 6th in 2020), chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, with state governors.

The meeting which was also attended by FCT Minister, CBN Governor and some federal cabinet officials in attendance, resolved that the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, with two other governors, meet with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Finance Minister and the Inspector General of Police to coordinate the proper utilization of the funding of the initiative.

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi, had made a
presentation at the National Economic Council (NEC) Ad-hoc Committee meeting on Security and Policing, noting that engagement with key stakeholders on the operationalization of community policing in the country was in ongoing.

Other reports received by Council at today’s meeting included reports on the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country; flood disaster risk management in Nigeria for 2020, and the issue of compensation payments regarding Federal Highway projects across the country.

At the presentations which centered on the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, by NEC’s Adhoc committee interfacing with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, and the other by Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, the State governors had commended the efforts and commitment of the Federal Government in containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and supporting States’ response capacity through various interventions.

The NCDC report indicates that the positivity rate has fallen from 19.7% in June to 13.7% in August 2020, while number of states with testing laboratories increased from 2 to 32, including the FCT.

According to the status report presented to the council, “the average tests per day has risen from 500 at the onset of the outbreak to 3,500 today, while the daily laboratory testing capacity increased to 10,000.”

Council also received recommendations from the Adhoc committee some of which include:

The states and FCT to look for ways of upscaling the communication at the grass-root level/ non-compliance to non-pharmaceutical interventions.

The need for states and FCT to explore the suggested use of local networks and traditional institutions such as Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) to re-orient the people at the grassroots who had continuously lived in denial of the pandemic but rather chose to display nonchalant attitude towards all the laid down protocols.

States and FCT should engage the services of the respected community influencers such as the heads of “Area Boys”, market women, and villagers, in disseminating the same message to the grass root using different modes/media that are common to such people and could easily attract their attention.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, briefed NEC on the state of

EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT (ECA)

Balance as at 18th August 2020, which she placed at $72,408,119.44

STABILIZATION FUND ACCOUNT
Balance as at 18th August 2020, was put at N44, 207, 377,110.34

Council also received a presentation from Chairman National Economic Council Ad- Hoc Committee on Security and Policing.

Earlier, at the 95th National Economic council meeting, held on Thursday 20th June 2019, the National Security Adviser made a presentation on the security situation in the country.