Skip to main content

Pandemic Update: Buhari Approves Special Work Program

Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, says President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the engagement of 774,000 Nigerians on Special Public Works programme in the country to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

Mrs Ahmed disclosed this at a press conference on fiscal stimulus measures in response to COVID-19 pandemic and oil prices fiscal shock, on Monday in Abuja.
She explained that 1, 000 people were expected to be recruited from each of the 774 local government areas in the country.
According to her, the sum of N60 billion for allowances and operational cost has been earmarked from the COVID-19 crisis intervention fund for the initiative.
She disclosed that President Buhari had previously approved a pilot special public works programme in eight states to be implemented by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
She added that Buhari had now approved that this programme be extended to all 36 States and the FCT from October to December 2020 and the selected time-frame was to ensure that it was implemented after the planting season.
“The Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning is also evaluating how best to extend the Special Public Works Programme, to provide modest stipends for itinerant workers to undertake Roads Rehabilitation and Social Housing Construction.
Ahmed said: “And also Urban and Rural Sanitation, Health Extension and other critical services. This intervention will be undertaken in conjunction with the key federal ministries responsible for Agriculture, Environment, Health and Infrastructure, as well as the states, to financially empower individuals who lose their jobs due to the economic crisis.
“Mr. President has approved the establishment of a-N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund. The establishment of the Fund will involve drawing much-needed cash resources from various Special Funds and Accounts, in consultation with and with the approval of the National Assembly.
“The N500 billion is proposed to be utilized to upgrade healthcare facilities as earlier identified by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and approved by Mr. President.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1966: HOW BRIGADIER MAIMALARI WAS MURDERED BY HIS CHIEF-OF-STAFF

1966: HOW BRIGADIER MAIMALARI WAS MURDERED BY HIS CHIEF-OF-STAFF "Yakubu! Yakubu! Who are those shooting in your house?" Brigadier Zakariya Mai-Malari, Commande r of the 2nd Brigade, Lagos, screamed into the phone. His phone had been ringing and he had just woken up to pick it at his 11, Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi, home in Lagos around 2am, where a cocktail party had just ended few hours earlier. It was Lieutenant-Colonel James Yakubu Pam, the Adjutant-General of the Nigerian Army, who was calling to report some shootings in his compound and that some soldiers had gained forceful entry into his bedroom to arrest him. Mai-Malari had hardly spoken to Pam when he himself heard gunshots at his own gate. Mai-Malari's guard commander who had adamantly denied the mutineers entrance to the residence had been killed. Immediately Mai-Malari heard the gunshots, he dropped the phone, ran upstairs to pick up his teenage wife and kept her at the servants’ quarters. He scaled the ta...
Post a Comment
Read more

30 Days Lockdown For Kaduna - Governor

The  Kaduna State  government has extended the quarantine order in the state by 30 days. This was confirmed in a statement released by Governor  Nasir El-Rufai’s  spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye. The Kaduna State Governor stated that only Wednesdays will be lockdown-free until the trajectory of Coronavirus infections becomes clearer. Residents of the state have been directed to wear facemasks and observe social distancing everywhere they go. While public gatherings have been prohibited in the state, the only category of persons exempted are workers in essential services such as health workers, the fire service, water corporation, electricity distribution, and security personnel.
Post a Comment
Read more

Governors: Conditions For Easing Lockdown

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to scale down the total lockdown imposed in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. This was contained in a letter dated April 24, 2020 and signed by NGF chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State. The letter was addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha. The Governors have asked Buhari to allow free movement in all the states, but with restrictions on large gatherings. The other things the governors want incorporated into President Buhari’s impending pronouncement on the lockdown are: “Inter-state lockdown, excluding movement of essential supplies- food, beverages, medical and pharmaceutical, petroleum supplies and agricultural products; internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies; overnight curfews; lockdown of flights; and compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public.” Fayemi said NGF...
Post a Comment
Read more