The National Economic Council (NEC) Thursday, announced that the sum of N3.5 billion has been released for the vaccination programme against communicable diseases.

Highlights:

• The government also said that vaccination campaign for measles in the 17 states in the Southern part of the country has been fixed to start from 8th March 2018.
• Briefing State House correspondents after the monthly NEC, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande said government released N3.5 billion for vaccination programme of the diseases.
• Also, briefing journalists, the Governor of Abia, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu said that the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, who he said holds the position of the face of eradication of polio in Nigeria briefed NEC on efforts in the eradication of polio in the country.
• He said that the presence of the Sultan was to underscore the support of the traditional institution and other critical stakeholders in their efforts to eradicate polio, measles and yellow fever.
• He said, “We were also glad to have the presence of other critical stakeholders and supporters of that programme which included Dangote Foundation and Bill Gate Foundation.”
• Governor Ikpeazu said Council applauded the support the stakeholders and encouraged state government to go to their states and encourage the immunisation programme by paying counterpart funding and taking ownership of the programme in their respective states as a way to stamp out all the diseases that could be reduced or removed completely from the country by vaccination.

Also briefing, Governor Godwin Obaseki said that “Council received an update on polio eradication initiatives of government and partners and also ways and plans that government has for strengthening routine immunisation.

“The Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency briefed Council on plans for measles vaccination ahead of the 2017/2018 dry season and the period is normally associated with the spread of measles. The Director briefed Council on the preparations for measles vaccination and informed Council that the campaign will be conducted in the 19 northern states including the FCT as follows.

“From the 26 to 31st of October through 27th of November, vaccination to occur in the North Western part of the country.

“The North Western states vaccinations will occur from the 30th of November through to the 7th of December, while the North Central and FCT, vaccinations will occur from the 1st of February through to the 13th of February 2018.

“The phase two of the exercise will take place in the 17 Southern states from the 8th of March through the 20th of March next year.”

Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi disclosed that Council received a presentation on the flood outlook in the country by the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) who he said went on to inform Council of the damage that was witnessed in the 2012 flooding season and the experience gained therein.

He said the Federal Government has released N1.6 billion for Flood Relief this year and that more for other states was being expected.

The states that have benefited from the fund are Benue, Kebbi, Ekiti, Kogi, Edo, Ondo, Sokoto, Niger and Enugu.

On her part, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar while briefing said, “We got approval in principle on harmonised multiple taxes. The governors to look into it and see how best they can leverage on that. Also to do with the right of way for the broadband. “I think this is something that we look forward to and continue to work to anticipate the fast industrialisation process which we began and indicated in the economic recovery and growth plan.”

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram