Osinbajo wants more public enlightenment on seriousness of coronavirus

The vice president urged governments at all levels to intensify efforts so that more Nigerians would become aware of the compelling and critical dimensions of the situation.

Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Wednesday, said the vice president presided over the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC)’s Special Committee on COVID-19 anchored from the Presidential Villa, Abuja via videoconferencing.

The meeting was the second for the committee tasked with coordinating the federal and state governments’ responses to the impact of the pandemic.

Osinbajo harped on the importance of the assignment and the urgency required.

“The Federal Government is 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 newly created Economic Sustainability Committee constituted by the president will also be meeting this week to start its work and respond to the situation appropriately.

“The Special Committee of the National Economic Council on COVID-19 is working hard to develop additional measures to alleviate the challenges being faced by Nigerians because of the implications of the global pandemic in the country,’’ he said.

Those who joined the vice president in video-conference are Governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa and Godwin Obaseki of Edo States.

Other are Governors David Umahi of Ebonyi, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi States.

The meeting also featured the Finance Minister, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr Ben Akabueze among several other top officials.

More so, the NEC Committee received the report of its Technical Working Group.

The report made 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.