The 137th meeting of the National Economic Council is underway, with Vice President Kashim Shettima presiding at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
This marks the fourth meeting in the Tinubu administration, and Thursday’s gathering comes almost two months after the Council’s last convening on September 28. The focus was on prioritizing areas for the next three and a half years, including economic stability, welfare, and security.
In his opening address at the last NEC meeting titled, ‘Planning for Stability: Our Agenda for Economic Growth in 2024’, VP Shetimma reminded the governors and other members of NEC that the weight of the tough decisions to rescue Nigeria’s economy depends on their cooperation and goodwill.
The National Economic Council (NEC), under the chairmanship of the Vice President, is a statutory body mandated to advise the President on the nation’s economic affairs.
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Its members include the Governors of the 36 states of the federation, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Minister of Finance, and other stakeholders.
In attendance at this month’s session, potentially the last for 2023, are all governors except for those of Akwa Ibom, Kano, Lagos, Enugu, Osun, Borno, Nasarawa, and Adamawa States, who are being represented by their deputies.
Both Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, were absent, and the seat designated for the state remained vacant after the meeting commenced.