BEVERLY HILLS, April 22, (THEWILL) – The country’s foremost economic compass, the National Economic Council (NEC), has dismissed the allegation that about N60 billion cash was printed to shore up the Federal Government and state governments’ revenue allocation for March 2021.
The NEC delivered the verdict a few hours ago on Thursday after hearing presentations from the Minister of Finance, the Central Bank Governor, and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).
The meeting of NEC was, as usual, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
Thursday’s meeting, attended by many of the state governors, FCT Minister and the Central Bank Governor also had in attendance the Finance, Transport, Information, Aviation and Water Resources Ministers.
The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning also attended.
The Council expressed satisfaction with clarifications made by the NGF represented by its Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Finance Minister, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, and the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, on the alleged printing of N60 billion by the Federal Government.
Both the Minister and the CBN Governor told the Council that the allegation of printing money to augment allocation was outright falsehood.
The NGF also supported the conclusion and NEC affirmed the same as the highest constitutional body tasked with economic affairs in the country, according to the spokesman of the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande.
On the resolution of security concerns in parts of the country, the Council unanimously affirmed the unity of Nigeria and said it would adopt the report of the national town hall meeting on “National Unity and Security” held recently in Kaduna.
The Council, while welcoming the outcome of the town hall meeting, urged all states to hold wider consultations across the country and report the outcome of the meetings back to NEC.
After this, a national consensus would be reached on the recommendations, that included the adoption of state police among other matters.
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