Tinubu Inuagurates NEC
President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the National Economic Council at the Council Chamber of the State House Abuja.
The inauguration which took place on Thursday morning came a week after Tinubu instructed council members to concretise intervention plans to mitigate the effects of the petroleum subsidy.
The NEC was officially opened at 11:25 am by Tinubu, who stated that the challenge of expanding the country’s economy is highly challenging.
“Therefore, there will be no excuse for failure or complain as all the elected officials, asked, campaigned and danced for the job,” the president said.
The president added, “Collaboration is key to achieving our goal of transforming the nation’s economic fortunes,” urging the council to cooperate and support his administration’s mission, he said nothing illegal.
After that, VP Shettima led the council members’ deliberations before the president left the chambers for his office.
The Council which is chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima meets monthly and has the mandate to “advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the coordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various Governments of the Federation.”
The NEC was created in accordance with Section 153(1) and Paragraphs 18 and 19 of Part I of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.
Its members comprise the 36 State Governors, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and other co-opted Government officials.
Amongst those present at the meeting are the Governors of Kwara, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq; Osun, Ademola Adeleke; Kogi, Yahaya Bello; Ekiti, Biodun Oyebanji; Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule; Akwa Ibom, Umo Eno; Enugu, Peter Mbah; Cross River, Bassey Otu; Plateau, Caleb Muftwang; Kebbi, Nasir Idris; Katsina, Aliyu Radda; and Benue, Hycinth Alia.
Others are Governors of Zamfara, Dauda Lawal; Ogun, Dapo Abiodun; Anambra, Charles Soludo; Yobe, Mai Mala Buni; Taraba, Agbu Kefas; Gombe, Inuwa Yahaya, Delta, Sheriff Oborevwori; Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara; Niger, Mohammed Bago; and Sokoto, Ahmad Aliyu.
Also attending are those of Ebonyi, Francis Nwifuru; Kaduna, Uba Sani; Edo, Godwin Obaseki; Abia, Alex Otti; Bayelsa, Douye Diri; Kano, Abba Yusuf; Bauchi, Bala Mohammed; Oyo, Seyi Makinde; and Deputy Governors of Borno, Umar Kadafur and Ondo, Lucky Ayedatiwa.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, Acting Governor of Central Bank, Folashodun Shonubi, Permanent Secretaries Budget and National Planning, Federal Capital Territory Administration and State House are also in attendance.
