Coronavirus: Osinbajo urges more public enlightenment

A statement by the media aide to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, said the committee resolved to work hard to develop additional measures to alleviate the challenges being faced by Nigerians because of the implications of the global pandemic in the country.

According to the statement also, the Wednesday afternoon  meeting of the committee was in continuation of its task of coordinating the Federal and State governments’ responses to the impact of the disease.

Present alongside the Vice President at the meeting held via videoconference anchored from the Presidential Villa were Governors Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti; Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna; Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa; Mohammed Abubakar, Jigawa; Godwin Obaseki, Edo; David Umahi, Ebonyi; Dapo Abiodun, Ogun; and Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi. The meeting was also attended by the Finance Minister, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze among several other top officials.

Akande, in the statement, said the NEC Committee received the report of its Technical Working Group which proposed an array of policy options and recommendations on how federal, state and local governments can bring relief to the people and take other adequate measures in containing and responding to the adverse economic effects of the pandemic.

Speaking at the meeting, the Vice President emphasized the importance of the assignment and the urgency required, asking that public enlightenment and sensitization on the seriousness of the pandemic should be further intensified at all government levels so that more and more Nigerians would become aware of the compelling and critical dimensions of the situation, the statement said.

He assured the governors that the FG was already packaging further resources for a comprehensive economic response to alleviate the challenges of the pandemic, support the States and provide succor to Nigerians in a timely and effective manner, the statement also noted.