Eradication Of Polio Is A Debt We Owe Nigerians Says VP Osinbajo

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**Commiserates with families of Saifura Husain Ahmed Khorsa and Hauwa Liman killed by Boko Haram

The Abuja Commitment made by the Federal and State governments to provide active leadership of polio eradication activities, including routine immunization, is a debt owed to Nigerians according to Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Prof Osinbajo made these remarks at the 92^nd edition of the National Economic Council Meeting. According to him, “The Abuja Commitment is a promise we all made; it is now a debt that we owe to the Nigerian people.  We must individually and collectively work to achieve the Abuja commitment indicators.”

Prof Osinbajo said the Federal Government remains resolutely committed to the crucial cause of polio eradication in the country while addressing the State Governors and members of the Presidential Taskforce on Polio Eradication who were present at the meeting.

He thanked the Ministry of Health and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for the remarkable progress that has been made in the polio programme. He also commended them for ensuring that the country has not recorded any new case of the wild poliovirus in the last two years, encouraging them to sustain the tempo.

The Vice President commended the supportive efforts of the Nigerian military, stating, “Our military will continue to collaborate with you to provide security and support as you ensure that all eligible children in every part of the country are reached with the polio vaccine and other health and humanitarian interventions.”

He added that there would be need to collaborate with our neighbours such as the Niger Republic and Lake Chad Islands.

He urged the governors to collaborate closely with the Federal Government especially in the timely provision of funds, rigorous oversight, and other support that would fast-track on-going efforts to totally eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization.

The Vice President commiserated with all the families of health workers who lost their lives in the course of delivering services to humanity, in particular, the families of Saifura Husain Ahmed Khorsa and Hauwa Liman who were kidnapped and killed by Boko Haram. He prayed that God would give their families the fortitude to bear the great losses. He also extended his sincere condolence to the ICRC, whose staff the two courageous and committed ladies belonged.

In his own remarks, the Honourable Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, told the Council that the National Emergency Routine Immunization Coordination Centre has been driving innovation strategies to improve routine immunization since its establishment in July 2017.

Below are the highlights of the 92^nd NEC Meeting:

UPDATES:

         Honourable Minister of Finance gave an update to the Council on the balances in the under listed Accounts;

(i)                    Excess Crude Account (ECA)

as at October 16, 2018                           = $ 2,090,215,686.66 

(ii)                  Stabilization Fund Account

as at October 15, 2018                   = N21,980,459,695.81

(iii)                Natural Resources Development

Fund as at October 15, 2018          =N119,719,543,786.31

UPDATE ON NEC AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON CRUDE OIL THEFT PREVENTION AND CONTROL

His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki Edo State Governor was unanimously nominated to chair the Ad-hoc Committee to replace the former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Oduaghan.  Under the new leadership, the Committee proceeded to give an updated report to the Council at a later date.

Members of the Committee include Governors of Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River and Ondo.  The Budget and Planning, Finance and Petroleum Resources Ministers, and the representatives from all the Security Organisations, EFCC and the International Oil Companies will also be on the Committee.

UPDATE ON NEC AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BY HONOURABLE MINISTER OF EDUCATION 

Highlights of the report

• This report was sequel to the presentation made by the Hon Minister of Education to NEC on Thursday, June 28, 2018, on the National Education Policy, Prospects, Challenges and Way Forward
• NEC thereafter set up an Ad-hoc Committee on the Revival of the Education Sector in Nigeria to review and submit recommendations. The Ad-hoc committee submitted an interim report to the Council.  Its highlights:
• The Committee observed that a multi-frontal approach is required to tackle the various factors militating against the achievement of the nation’s educational objectives, In view of the multi-dimensional nature of the crisis in the education sector
• The committee strongly recommends that; the FG, States and LGs collaborate to vigorously implement, and sustain action on the 10 pillars of the Ministerial Strategic Plan developed by the Federal Ministry of Education
• Among the areas of attention are: the issue of out-of-school children, promoting adult literacy and special needs education, reviving Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) , strengthening basic education, prioritizing teacher education, capacity building and professional development, ensuring quality and access in tertiary education, promoting ICT in education, boosting library services in education etc.
• All Governors to declare a state of emergency in the education sectors of their respective states and demonstrate their commitment to revamping education
• FG and States to allocate a minimum of 15% of their budgets to education in order to revitalise the sector
• Constitute Special task force to manage the funds and oversee the infrastructural overhaul of selected schools for intervention across the federation

Decision

• Council decided that while the interim report is being reviewed by the members of the Council, a more detailed report be prepared and presented at the next NEC meeting when decisions would be taken on the proposed recommendations.

PRESENTATION ON STATES GROSS DOMESTIC COMPUTATION (SGDP) FOR 11 STATES (2013-2017) BY THE STATISTICIAN-GENERAL/CEO NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS (NBS)

Highlights of the presentation among others are:

• The background of the SGDP presentation was to know the sizes of the economy in each of States, how much do a Nigerian state contribute to the Nigerian economy, what sector is best to invest in a particular State, what are the key sectors that can drive growth, create employment and generate tax revenue for the states, and which sector need government intervention or support
• States GDP Computation started in 2012 with Seven pilot States; Rivers, Lagos, Gombe, Cross River, Kano, Anambra and Niger State, following the expressed interests of states to measure their economic competitiveness over time, understand the structure of their economies and assess contribution to national output
• Analytical results of the 11 states accounted for N 33.3 trillion in nominal GDP in 2017, or 29% of national nominal GDP
• Sectoral distribution and performance of SGDP were captured in Oil & Non-oil, Agriculture, Industry, Services, mining & Quarrying, Manufacturing, Electricity, Water & Construction, Trade, Accommodation & Transportation, Information & Communications, Arts, Entertainment & Recreation, Financial institutions & Insurance & other services.

Council was invited to Note that:

• NBS has completed the first phase of the SGDP exercise involving 11 states for the five year period covering 2013-2017 across the 46 economic activities
• The selected states accounted for 33.3 trillion Naira in nominal GDP or 29.3% of national GDP in 2017
• Data on States GDP is generally useful to support evidence-based policymaking
• Efforts are on-going to complete the next phase of compilation for the remaining 25 states and the FCT.

PRESENTATION OF MEMORANDUM ON SUPPORT OF STATE GOVERNMENT FOR NATIONAL SPORTING PROGRAMMES BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF     YOUTHS & SPORTS DEVELOPMENT, BARRISTER SOLOMON DALUNG

• The Honourable Minister for Youths and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung presented a Memo with the aim of soliciting the cooperation of State Governments towards effective participation in sporting activities.  He appreciated Council for the sustained support to sports development in the country
• The Minister further listed The National Youth Games (NYG) and The National Sports Festival (NSF) as the two major Diets of the Ministry.
• Reviewing the two Diets within the year under review, the Hon. Minister informed the Council that a total of 32 States including FCT participated in the NYG while the NSF has successfully hosted its 18^thEdition in Lagos State.
• The Honourable Minister also briefed members of Council on some of the challenges encountered in the two events, which includes delayed preparations by States, lack of security for athletes and officials on transit to event venues, as well as the inability of some States to make payment of the requisite subsistence allowance.
• The Council was also briefed on the on-going preparation for the 19^thEdition of the NSF indicating that the Hon. Minister FCTA has accepted to host, while the academic calendar of schools in FCT is being adjusted to accommodate the festival.
• The Minister however, appealed to State Governors to support the Ministry by preparing athletes from their respective States for the Festival through their States sports associations as well as make payment of participation fees to supplement the provision of the Federal Government for feeding and accommodation of athletes and officials.
• He also appealed for the provision of security escorts for athletes and officials that would travel by road to ensure their safety to and from the Host City.

NEC MEMORANDUM FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET ESTIMATE FOR FAAC MEETINGS AND OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR YEAR 2018 BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE, MRS. ZAINAB AHMED

• A memo was presented to seek the Council’s consideration and approval of the proposed Budget Estimate of FAAC meetings and other related activities for the year 2018.
• FAAC’s main Secretariat was mandated to prepare yearly budget estimate for the hosting of the monthly FAAC meetings.
• Department of Home Finance and Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) prepared the budget for the main Secretariat and that of the Technical Sub-Committee and Reconciliation Sub-Committee respectively.
• The Budget of the FAAC Post-Mortem Sub-Committee was prepared by the RMAFC, while the Commissioners’ Forum and Accountants General Forum were prepared by their respective Secretariats and collated by the Home Finance Department.
• The total budget estimate for all is put at N650,000,000.00

Decision

Council approved

PRESENTATION ON THE 14^TH PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON POLIO ERADICATION AND ROUTINE IMMUNISATION BY THE HON MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH

Highlights of the presentation:

• The Honourable Minister of State for Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire made a presentation to the Council on the 14^thMeeting of Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization in Nigeria.
• He told the Council that Nigeria has now gone over 2 years without a case of Wild Poliovirus.
• He told the Council that the National Emergency Routine Immunization Coordination Centre has been driving innovative strategies and interventions to improve Routine Immunization since its establishment in July 2017.
• Quarterly survey was adopted to monitor Routine Immunization Programme performance at LGAs and State levels.
• He stated that President Muhammadu Buhari and Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) signed the Revised Abuja Commitments on Routine Immunization on 20^thJanuary, 2016.
• The 36 States Governors have committed themselves to actions aimed at ensuring a polio-free Nigeria, improving Primary Health Care and strengthening Routine Immunization.
• Implementation of Abuja Commitment Indicators is being monitored quarterly.

Challenges – among others:

• Insecurity stalling on-going efforts to eradicate polio
• Waning political commitment at Sub-national level to polio, Routine Immunization and Primary Health Care.
• Non-provision of counterpart funds by some States and LGAs
• Infrastructural gaps; many facilities are dilapidated and lack basic equipment.