NEC Silent on New Minimum Wage, Approves $1bn Agriculture Mechanisation Programme

The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday ended its 142nd meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima without any information on the contentious new national minimum wage.

This is just as President Bola Tinubu, in an unprecedented move, attended the NEC meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja. 

The Vice President is the statutory chairman of the Council which was expected to deliberate on the issues of the new national minimum wage.

The president’s attendance came against the backdrop of his decision to consult with necessary stakeholders including the state governors, all of whom are members of the council. 

The president had said he would only submit a new national minimum wage to the national assembly for passage into law after such consultations. 

However, at the end of the meeting, the council was silent on whether or not it considered the minimum wage issue. 

Addressing newsmen on the outcome of the meeting, Mnister of agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, who joined the governors of Imo, Kano and Kogi to brief reporters, disclosed that the federal government has approved a $1 billion agriculture mechanization programme that will set up 1000 agro-sector service providers across the country with tractors.

According to him: “We’ll have a minimum of 2000 tractors a year for the next five years and all other aggregation of agricultural commodities is going to be utilized at least nothing less than 600,000 youths to man these 1000 service centers.”

Explaining that the elaborate plan will be rolled out as soon as possible, Kyari said the project was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Tuesday. 

He spoke of an arrangement with John Deere and Tata to provide 2000 tractors before the end of the year. 

The Greener Imperative Project, which he said is still in the works, is a 950 million euro project that will soon be unveiled and noted that a deal is being anticipated with Belarus Tractors to supply 2000 tractors per year for the next five years, with 9000 implements and spare parts, among others. 

The Minister also disclosed that Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in 200,000 metric tons of red meat every year and 1 million tonnes of soya from Nigeria. 

“We have already last week had a meeting with our entrepreneurs and we have come out with a roadmap where we can supply and satisfy that demand. We are looking at partnership with foreign governments, not necessarily trying to ask them to come and invest, but asking them what can we produce so that we can sell to you so that we can earn foreign exchange”.

Also speaking, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State said NEC directed the sub committee on crude oil theft right to provide comprehensive recommendations to end the menace during the next meeting. 

He said even though the sub committee was expected to submit its report during Thursday’s meeting, “it was inconclusive.”

On his part, Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano state announced the constitution of the board of the Niger Delta Power Holding, which had operated for a long time without a supervising board. 

He revealed that it is made up of governors of Borno, Katsina, Imo, Ekiti, Kwara, and Akwa Ibom states representing the different geo-political zones. 

Also, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the economy, Wale Edun spoke of the activation of the Presidential food systems coordinating unit chaired by Vice President  Shettima. 

Deji Elumoye 

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