President Buhari Urges prompt payment of salaries to all employees in the midst of the battle against coronavirus. This the President said while meeting with the members of the Presidential Committee review the impact of coronavirus on the Nigerian Economy.
Speaking with State House Correspondents after the meeting, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, said the meeting was to brief the president on the happenings regarding coronavirus.
She said, “Well, he (President) has directed that we should make sure that salaries are paid, make critical infrastructures like roads, rails are protected, as much as possible use local inputs so that we retain value within our economy. And also make sure that we measure that protect the poor and the vulnerable.”
While addressing the purpose of the meeting, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said, “This meeting was just to brief Mr. President as the situation we are in keeps evolving on a daily basis.
“As the health crisis gradually expands, affecting States and also the lockdown that has been ordered to help curtail the expansion of the health crisis.
“The consequences of the lockdown is the additional slowing down of the economy and the measures that we need to take to mitigate the negative consequences of the slow trade and businesses.”
Also speaking after the meeting, Minister of State for Petroleum resources, Timipre Sylva, explained that the effects of the coronavirus on the economy is a gloomy one. This he said while making reference to the falling oil prices.
The Governor of Central bank also had this to say while speaking to correspondents after the meeting. “The global economy naturally like we all know at this time will naturally suffer growth problems and may even lead to recession globally. So, we are trying to see what we can do as a country to rescue our own situation so we don’t go the direction many will go. “It is not going to be easy but we can only assure our people that we are on top of it and that we will resolve it and Nigerians will still be better for it.”
Also present at the meeting were Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mela Kyari.