The sum of N6.45 billion has been disbursed by the federal government for the establishment of 38 oxygen plants across the country in a bid to cater to to the needs of COVID-19 patients who have a need for oxygen.
This disclosure was made by the media aide of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, in a statement.
In the statement titled ‘FG releases N6.45bn for new oxygen plants in 38 locations nationwide to facilitate COVID-19 treatment,’ Akande stated that fund disbursement was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
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The announcement was made at the first meeting of 2021 of the National Economic Council chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and attended by all state governors and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
The statement by Akande stated, “While briefing the NEC on the release of the funds, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed said the President approved the release of the funds for the production of oxygen, necessitated by the increased number of patients who need oxygen due to the surge in COVID-19 infections in the country.”
According to the Finance Minister, the release of funds was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
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The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, stated that following Buhari’s decision to kick start the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in accordance with the National Health Act, the sum of N55.1 billion was approved the year 2018, adding that of the total sum, 50 percent had been released to the 36 states and the FCT.
The sum of N35 billion has been channeled to the Fund for the year 2021 as approved by the federal government.
Engagements of the NEC will majorly concentrate on issues like wealth creation; social safety nets and employment; education, digital economy and sports development; creative industry and hospitality; security; and governance.
Other relevant information according to the NEC to further execute the engagement include:
TARGET GROUPS AND AUDIENCE
Participants of the NEC engagements will be drawn from the following groups
• Young intellectuals and emerging industry leaders from diverse sectors, students of tertiary and other educational institutions, youths in the Diaspora who are interested in social political developments, entertainers and social influencers, trained artisans etc.
• Youth leaders in (a) civil Society Organization (b) Politics (c) religious organization (d) traditional institutions.
• Young women and young people with disabilities.
MODALITIES AND STAGES OF THE NEC ENGAGEMENTS
The engagement will evolve in three stages:
- Stage One: State Government(and FCT) facilitated youth engagements, guided by a panel of seasoned professionals(for comprehensiveness, practicability and effectiveness). This will essentially be a youth-driven engagement organised by each State Government or the FCT Administration. As the initial engagement, it will allow for streamlining of the thought processes of the youths’ interaction with State Officials and the selection of representatives, who will participate in subsequent engagements at Zonal and National levels.
- Stage Two: This is the zonal-level engagement where the issues of concern and the consensus reform ideas developed from the State-level engagements are presented by the individual States’ representatives. This engagement is a collaboration between the youths and the State Governments in the respective zones.
- Stage Three: This the national engagement, where select representatives from States and the Federal Capital Territory participate in an interactive session with Federal and other Government officials. The youth representatives present the consensus issues of concern and reform ideas developed from the first two stages. The session will be people-centric, providing a platform for the Government to listen to the youth and focus less on presenting its own achievements or defending its perspectives.
