Aso Villa Reads for Thurs. 26/11/2020
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has said the Coalition Alliance Against COVID-19 will rehabilitate all the police stations that were damaged in the country as a result of wanton destruction and lootings that followed the recent #EndSARS protests. Emefiele spoke during a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday at the office of the CBN. He also disclosed that CACOVID had so far spent N43.27bn on the acquisition of medical equipment and supplies, and food palliatives for the vulnerable, among others. The CBN governor said the alliance planned to spend N150bn on youth empowerment. [Punch]
The Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday approved a total sum of about N39.7 billion for road maintenance and award of contract for erosion/flood and pollution control accelerated intervention projects. This was disclosed at the end of the virtual FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja. Of the amount, the sum of N20.925 billion was for road repairs and maintenance, while N17.75 billion was for erosion/flood and pollution control accelerated intervention projects and others. [Vanguard]
The minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday, handed down January 2021 target timeline for commissioning of the Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line to the contractor handling the project, China Civil Engineering Construction Company, CCECC. Speaking on the development, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, said a test run of the Lagos-Ibadan rail services will be carried out in the first week of December ahead of the Presidential commissioning in January. [Vanguard]
The Federal Government yesterday gave an indication of reopening Nigerian borders which were closed since August last year. Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, who disclosed this during a roundtable discussion at the 26th Nigerian Economic Summit (NES #26), said that a committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari had done an assessment of the gains of the closure and had recommended to the president to reopen the borders. In view of the recommendation, she was optimistic that the president would act on the recommendation soon. [The Sun]
The private sector-led Coalition Alliance Against COVID 19 has unveiled plans to empower four million youths with a N25 billion employment program. Meanwhile, the Group said it received N43.272 billion as a donation from members of the private sector and spent N43.272 billion on various interventions, including N28.7 billion on food relief as palliatives to 1.7 million households translating to or eight million Nigerians. Co-Chair CACOVID and Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos while giving an account of the activities of the group. [Vanguard]
The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has formally launched a new health insurance policy known as the group, individual and family social insurance package. Speaking during the launch of the insurance scheme in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, said the move was in keeping with the determination of the federal government to expand the health insurance coverage to accommodate all Nigerians. Under the new scheme, groups and families can now enjoy special health insurance cover. [This Day]
