The National Economic Council, NEC, on Wednesday gave Monday September 9 deadline to four states yet to submit report from their states on establishment of state police.
The NEC also resolved to adopt the comprehensive reports from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja on Monday and warned that any of the four states that refused to submit its report before the deadline, any decision taken would be binding on such State.
This is as the Federal Government has released N3 billion to states affected by the ravaging flood in the country.
Briefing State House correspondents at the NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the acting governor of Oyo State, Abdulraheen Lawal, said that the 36 states of the federation were supposed to submit their reports for consideration at the meeting.
He said an update on the establishment of State police was considered as a result of the security challenges across the nation in especially in the Northeast, Northcentral, southwest, Southeast and south-south.
He explained that the essence of that was to ensure that the country has a robust security, adding that it was for that purpose that the NEC sometimes last year, considered the establishment of state police and asked states to make submissions of considerations
He said, “An update on the establishment of State police was considered and this was as a result of the security challenges that we have across the nation, in Northeast, Northcentral, southwest, Southeast and South south so that we would have a robust security in our nation.
“For that purpose, sometimes last year NEC considered the establishment of state police and asked states to make submissions of considerations
“Today (Wednesday), all the states were supposed to submit for consideration of NEC. Incidentally, four states couldn’t submit, and for that purpose, NEC decided that those states must make their submissions on or before Monday next week, otherwise, whatever decision next date on the establishment of State Police will be binding on those states that reused to submit them to make submissions.
“So that is the resolution as of today’s NEC meeting.”
Although, he refused to mention the name of the four states yet to submit their reports, a source privy to the meeting named the states as Adamawa, Kwara, Sokoto, Kebbi States and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The source, however said that one of the four states claimed that it has already made its own submission.
Also briefing, the Governor of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed , said NEC discussed exhaustively the flood situation across the states and that the governors acknowledged the support of the federal government in terms of releasing N3 billion as a measure to ensure that at least they provide palliative for the flood.
He said, “The flood was more devastating along the Northeast axis where a major artery between Kano and Maiduguri has been cut off with devastating effects on households, schools, bridges and other means of livelihood. Lives were lost and a lot of properties were also destroyed.
“Of course, that has really provided a big challenge to us as a government and as a people in our states because we need to provide more of food security. Already, farmlands are submerged and therefore there’s need for collaboration between all the tiers of government to ensure food security.”
Governor Mohammed said that harvest this year would not be as expected because of the menace of flood.
He said, “The need for planning, collaboration and interaction to do that during the harvest time because the bumper harvest may not be as envisaged. So the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and all our sub national ministries are supposed to collaborate and ensure that something comprehensive is done.
“I know there has been a lot of devastation and we have been asked to give an inventory of destruction before Monday. But other measures of governance in terms of governance structure has been established by council.”
Collaborating what his counterpart said, the Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, said council established governance structure to ensure the interventions will not be Ad-Hoc.
He said: “The Flood committee has to be reconstituted and the new members of the councils are governors of Kogi, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi and Jigawa states.
“Others are Minister of Water of Resources, minister of state Water of Resources, Minister of State for Environment, DG Nigeria Sovereignty Investment Authority (NSIA), DG NIMET, DG NWRI, MD/CEO NIWA, MD if NNDC, MD NEDC, and DG NEMA.
“The council has decided that Monday will be the deadline for all the states of the Federation to submit details damages including farms, schools, barges that have been affected by the last flood and Mr. chairman mentioned it will be taking into consideration for appropriate support to the various states.
“So these are the new very strong membership of the flood committee that will continue to address council henceforth.”
Source : Vanguard
