Ngerian President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC) to advice on economic policy and co-ordinate economic planning efforts, and programmes of the three-tiers of government.
Inaugurating the NEC on Thursday in Abuja, Buhari said that he was impressed with the work of the council in his first tenure and that it made very significant progress, holding an unprecedented total of 38 meetings and setting up 10 Ad-Hoc Committees to address various issues of national concern.
In the course of its deliberations, it came up with a total of 173 resolutions, cutting across eight areas, including agriculture and Solid Minerals, Investments Promotion and Industrialization; Monetary and fiscal stability; Infrastructure; and Health and Education, revenue generation; security and support for States.
He urged all the governors present at the inauguration to pay special attention to the four major issues of security, education, health and agriculture in the coming years of this tenure.
“As you are no doubt aware, our successes in these four areas will go a long way in lifting our people out of poverty and secure our future for sustainable growth and development,’’ he said.
The Federal Government, he said, would strive to extend the school feeding programme, which will not only encourage school enrolment, but also enhance the health and learning capabilities of the pupils.
“We will also assist States as much as possible to access the counterpart funding provided for the development of basic education.
“Health is an area where the neglect of one person quickly amounts to the neglect of many. It is in our collective interest that each and every citizen gets at least a minimal access to healthcare, including primary, preventive and emergency care,’’ he said.
He urged the states to also find ways of assisting the poorest and most vulnerable in our society.
Buhari said it was imperative to do more on diversifying the economy, and this necessarily entails the sustenance and even acceleration of the agricultural revolution, which is already firmly rooted in some States.
MM/GIK/APA