FG To States At NEC: Remove Right Of Way Barriers, So We Can Strengthen, Expand National Power Grid

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**NEC receives update on recent electric power disruptions, national grid, COVID-19

**Over 11 million Nigerians vaccinated so far, 5 States top performers

*24 million Nigerians targeted to benefit in Human Capital Development Agenda

The Federal Government wants affected States to remove Right of Way barriers in order to fast-track the expansion and strengthening of the National power grid.

This way, some of the recent disruptions to electric power supply in the country could be avoided.

This was one of the deliberations of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting which held yesterday, where the Council was briefed on the current state of power generation in the country by the Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu. The Council was also provided with an update on COVID-19 vaccination across the country.

The Council’s 124th meeting was chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, with State Governors, Federal Ministers and other senior government officials in attendance.

NEC is composed of all 36 Governors, the Central Bank Governor and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory and other designated members of the Federal Executive Council.

The Minister of Power stressed the need for urgent attention on the issue of State Government’s approval on the Right of Way (ROW) which he disclosed has hampered billions of Naira worth transmission projects that are meant to strengthen and expand the grid for better supply of electricity in the country.

He stated that most of these projects were delayed because of gaps in the implementation of the Right of Way resolutions that State Governments are responsible for and there are currently 32 projects across multiple States stalled or that have been unable to begin post-approval.

Aliyu said the projects account for an investment of $137 million that the Nigerian public is unable to realise value from due to these intractable issues.

Also at the meeting, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, updated the Council on COVID–19 vaccinations across the country. He mentioned that 11,309,080 Nigerians were now fully vaccinated, with five States – Nasarawa, Jigawa, Ogun, Kwara and the FCT – topping the list.

He said the target was to achieve 50% vaccination by March 24, 2022, adding that some States have reached this target.

While 58 million doses of the vaccination are now being administered, Dr. Shuaib noted that 48 million doses are expected before the end of the year. He stated that a website showing a State-by-State guide of how to locate a vaccination center and get vaccinated will be launched soon.

Below are other highlights from the National Economic Council meeting:

NEC OF THURSDAY 24TH FEBRUARY, 2022 (3RD IN 2022) 124th MEETING

FINANCIAL UPDATES:

THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE, BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING GAVE COUNCIL AN UPDATE ON THE UNDERLISTED ACCOUNTS AS FOLLOWS:

1. EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT (ECA)

BALANCE AS AT 22ND MARCH, 2022 STANDS AT

$35,876,615.68

2. STABILIZATION ACCOUNT

BALANCE AS AT 22ND MARCH, 2022 STANDS AT

N31,298,533,315.68

3. DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ACCOUNT

BALANCE AS AT 22ND MARCH, 2022 STANDS AT

N55,539,568,212.67

PRESENTATION FROM THE NCDC ON STATE PERFORMANCE REPORT ON OUTBREAK OF COVID-19 IN NIGERIA

Situational report on the outbreak of COVID-19 in Nigeria as of 17 February 2022 showed the total number of cases at 254,091 while the number of cases tested was 4,233,363. The active cases are put at 20,493 while 230,457 cases were discharged and the number of deaths was put at 3,141.

*STATES SCORECARD ON PHC, ROUTINE IMMUNIZATION, POLIO AND COVID -19 VACCINATION BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NPHCDA

· Council was informed on the top five (5) performing States on Covid-19 vaccination as of 20th March 2022. Nasarawa, Jigawa, Ogun, FCT and Kwara.

· The target is to achieve 50% vaccination by March 24, 2022

· Some States have achieved these targets

· 58million doses of the vaccination is in the country and is currently being administered.

· 48million doses are expected before the end of the year

· There is a launch of a website on State-by-State guide of how to locate a vaccination centre and get vaccinated

POLIO UPDATES

• Update on circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2) Outbreaks and Responses in Nigeria.

• There is a circulation variant of the poliovirus

• A lot of work is already going on

• There are 13 cases found in 5 States

• 1,027 cases in 2021 were found in 204 LGA across 31 States

STATES PERFORMANCE REPORT ON COVID -19 BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL

*Nigeria: Snapshot as at 22nd March, 2022

• No of Cases = 255,190

• No of Cases tested = 4,726,096

• Active Cases = 2,572

• Discharged Cases = 249,476

• Number of Deaths = 3,142

*Cases have declined by 65.7% over the past week

· No death reported in the past week, Case Fatality Ratio (CFR) for week 11, 2022 is 0%

· No death reported the past week

· Cases in Nigeria have declined, especially Lagos and Rivers States

· Covid-19 has declined but people must still take caution

UPDATE ON SARS-CoV-2 Variants AS AT 20TH MARCH, 2022

• Global: 9,500,906

• Africa: 94,733

• Nigeria: 5,436

Lassa Fever

• Suspected Case: =3079

• Confirmed Cases = 630

• Deaths = 112

• LGAs = 87

• States =23

• Of all confirmed cases, 70% are from Ondo (30%), Edo (24%) and Bauchi (16%) States

• The number of confirmed cases has increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2021(191)

AOB

Minister of State Budget and National Planning informed Council that the 21st Edition of JBP is coming up on the 6-8 April in Ebonyi State. He urged State Governors to ensure that Honourable Commissioners of Planning attend the meeting.

UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS REPORT ON HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME BY THE COORDINATOR, HCD

The coordinator gave a presentation to the Council on Human Capital Development. It was reported that ECOWAS had adopted the Nigerian HCD Strategy Document as the proxy template for the development of Regional Integrated HCD Strategy

The presentation also included:
Program Update, Overview of HCD Strategy Document, and Public Expenditure Review and Highlights of Global view on HCD Finance.

The Key Expectations from Governors include participating in the National Launch of the Strategy Document on the 17th of May 2022, and setting up of State level HCD implementation plans.

The key message of the HCD Strategy is that it adopts a whole of the nation and people-centred approach and that the targets are interventions identified to be made across health, education and the labour force to benefit 24m Nigerians.