Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently presiding over the 142nd National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja.
The ongoing meeting also has some members of President Bola Tinubu’s economic team in attendance, indicating the likely tone of the agenda of the meeting.
NEC, a statutory body mandated to advise the President on the nation’s economic affairs, is comprised of the Vice President, Governors of the 36 states of the federation, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Minister of Finance, and other stakeholders.
The meeting is coming at a time when the populace, especially the workforce, awaits the government’s decision on a new national minimum wage discussion.
Today’s NEC became particularly important as it is expected to create an official interface for both the federal government and the sub-nationals, especially as the last Federal Executive Council (FEC), which held on Tuesday, decided to step discussions on the minimum wage down until President Tinubu consults with other parties in the new pay discuss.
Among those present at the ongoing NEC meeting are governors, Usman Ododo (Kogi), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Lawal Dauda (Zamfara), Charles Soludo (Anambra), Seyi Makinde, (Oyo), Lucky Ayedatiwa, (Ondo).
Others sighted at the Council Chambers, the venue of the meeting, are Abdullahi Sule, (Nassarawa), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Caleb Mutfwang, (Plateau), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Biodun Oyebanji, (Ekiti), Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya, (Gombe), Peter Mbah, (Enugu), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Dapo Abiodun, (Ogun), Umar Radda, (Katsina), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Umar Namadi, (Jigawa) and Umar Bago, (Niger).
States being represented by their deputy governors include Lagos, Rivers, Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe.