NEC charges States to align with Presidential Food Systems Unit

….approves RMAFC funding proposal

Kunle Sanni

The National Economic Council (NEC) has urged state governments to key into the programmes of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) in the bid to address the challenges militating against food security and their underlying causes.

This is just as Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the economic seeds sown by the federal government by way of reforms and interventions in 2024 are already beginning to bear fruits.

NEC took the decision on Thursday during its 147th meeting chaired by the Vice President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In a presentation to council, the Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture (Office of the Vice President), Marion Moon, and coordinator of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU), highlighted the strategy proposed by the unit to collaborate with sub-nationals in addressing food insecurity and unlocking Nigeria’s agricultural potentials across the country.

She said the PFSCU priorities, especially in agri-business, will enhance delivery mechanisms and expedite action in the attainments of targets enshrined in the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the various aspirations by the respective state governments.

In its resolution, NEC “commended the presentation by the coordinator of the unit and urged state governments to key into the initiative,” even as it “requested the unit to prepare key achievements of its unit at the next meeting of the council”.

NEC also approved the request by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to seek a National Assembly amendment to its subsisting Act and to provide an alternative funding source for the Commission.

Council’s approval followed an earlier presentation by RMAFC seeking Council’s approval of RMAFC’s proposed Bill to the National Assembly to amend its subsisting Act, and approval of 0.05% of non-oil federation revenue as an alternative funding source for the Commission.