Highlights of Federal Executive Council Meeting

16 Dec Highlights of Federal Executive Council Meeting

The virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday was loaded with news. Among the approvals of the Council were:

# A 20 percent salary increase for officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) with effect from January 2022; and a tax waiver in the sum of N18.6 billion for junior officers to increase the take-home pay effective from October 2021. Also, the release of N13.1 billion for payment of outstanding death benefits of 5,472 personnel for the uninsured period of 2013 to August 2021.

* Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, said the upward review is a response to issues raised during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020, adding that the move is meant to boost the morale of police personnel across the country.

# Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said approval was given for the engagement of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) at $800,000, as transaction advisors with third party consultants for the implementation of the first phase of the Presidential Power Initiative, which is to modernize and upgrade power transmission and distribution infrastructure in Nigeria.

* Also, the engagement of third party consultants, including  local and international legal advisory firms, environmental and social impact assessment consultants, security consultants, insurance advisors, as well as tax and model auditor at the sum of $1,116,312.45.

#Approval of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP 2021-2025), a successor to the previous strategy which covered 2017-2020.

* The Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan said The FCSSIP 2021-2025, she explained, was the outcome of the contributions of Organised Private Sectors (OPS), serving and retired professionals of the civil and public service, labour unions and associations as well as development partners in Nigeria.

# The Nigerian Startup Bill, a replacement for the National Investment and Startup Policy, which will be  sent to the National Assembly for legislation.

* Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami said the bill contains provisions that allow easy access to grants including a Startup Investment Safe Funds for young innovators, will create an enabling environment.  The law will establish the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which will be responsible for collaborating with various regulatory bodies to ensure the provision of support services and incentives to the startups.

# Presidential Spokesman Femi Adesina, who represented the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola said that the council approved a memo for the construction of two bridges in Kano state at the cost of N16.690 billion and bridges in Jimeta, Adamawa state at the cost of N2.958 billion.