The federal government of Nigeria has approved the sum of N13 billion for the take-off of Community Policing initiative in the country.
A statement by spokesman aide to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, said the approval is part of measures adopted to consolidate efforts aimed at containing the security situation in the country.
The meeting attended by governors, FCT minister, CBN governor and some federal cabinet officials, resolved that the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State with two other governors, meet with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the finance minister and the Inspector General of Police to coordinate the proper utilisation of the funding of the initiative.
The National Economic Council (NEC) Ad-hoc Committee on Security and Policing, had made a presentation on its assignment to the Council noting that engagement with key stakeholders on the operationalization of community policing in the country was in ongoing.
The presentation was made by Fayemi.
Other reports received by Council at the meeting included reports on the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country; flood disaster risk management in Nigeria for 2020 and the issue of compensation payments regarding Federal Highway projects across the country.
Responding to two presentations on the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: one by NEC’s Adhoc committee interfacing with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the other by Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the governors commended the efforts and commitment of the Federal Government in containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and supporting States’ response capacity through various interventions.
The NCDC report indicated that the positivity rate has fallen from 19.7% in June to 13.7% in August 2020, while number of states with testing laboratories increased from 2 to 32, including the FCT.
