In a move designed to strengthen the country’s national value system following the declining of values, the the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday approved the establishment of a Citizens Value Brigade for primary, secondary schools across the country.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this while addressing correspondents after Monday’s meeting of the council chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the government is worried about the observed decline in value system, hoping that it can be halted for the sake of sustainable development.
The Minister said: “Today, council has approved a number of changes in our policy to strengthen our national value system, the Chief of it is that national citizens value brigade has been approved to be established in all our primary and secondary schools.
“Council has noted the gradual eroding of our values especially among the younger ones and this is giving rise to a kind of misbehaviour and act that are not intune with our traditions and our norms.
“Council has noted that there is need for strengthening and going back to the core value that Nigeria is known for over time for which we know that there has been some form of decline. Now this would also help to create the ambassadors of this country that Nigeria seeks to have.”
He also said there was the approval of inclusion of National Value Charter and National symbols to be made mandatory not just in our curriculum but in the teaching of Civic education.
Mohammed further said: “Not just in our curriculum but also among the appointees of govt, for example at every retreat at the inception of every administration, members fo FEC will have training on what our national values are not only that but also the standardisation of our national symbols. The National Flag, the Naira notes and all those things that makes what we call our national symbols.
“The Council has approved that the National Orientation Agency will take charge of that the way we use our flags being hoisted in a discriminate manner will be standardised ,there is a way they should be. There is also the need to have value reorientation among all Nigerians and this of course the administration will pay a lot of attention to that.”
The FEC also approved the establishment of a Disaster Relief Fund to respond to emergencies, including flooding, as part of its efforts to better manage disaster preparedness and response.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this in his remarks at the post-FEC media briefing, emphasizing that, despite preventive measures, disasters are inevitable in this era of climate change, making it crucial to have a dedicated fund for swift response.
“No matter the precautions, disasters will still happen, and we must be prepared. This fund will pool resources from various sectors to ensure timely intervention when disasters strike,” he said.
In addition, the FEC approved the Economic Stabilization Bill, based on the recommendations of the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee. Edun explained that the bill seeks to implement key reforms, including amendments to the Companies Income Tax, aimed at stabilizing and strengthening Nigeria’s economic framework.
The fund will be mobilized from the three tiers of the government, the private sector and the international philanthropic organisations to build a resilient response to climate disaster occurrences across the country.
Acknowledging the existing relief funds domiciled with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Flood Relief Funds
set up in 2012, the minister said that President Tinubu directed the set up of the disaster fund for the timely mitigation of climate challenges
Edun said that the fund will operate separately from the existing relief funds.
He explained: “Now, we know we do have the NEMA Relief Fund, we even have the Flood Relief Funds set up around 2012 but Mr. President feels we need in this era of climate change, climate events as well as from time to time there will be matter in prevention measures there will be disaster that will occurred.
“We need to build greater resilience in the form of substantial disaster relief funds, separate from agencies that actually intervene physically.
“This will focus on the financing and bringing together the funding from across the spectrum of the federal, sub national levels and the local levels and clearly the private sectors and international philanthropic organizations.
“The best in class funds will be led by top corporate governance including leadership by the private sector at an appropriate level probably heading it.”
FEC also approved the construction of forty houses for judges and justices in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, announced this during the post-FEC media briefing, saying that the 40 residences will be constructed in the Kantampe district, with 20 allocated to the FCT High Court, 10 to the Federal High Court, and 10 to the Court of Appeal.
He said the project is slated for completion within 15 months.
He added: “Also for the importance that the president attached to the Judiciary, he finds it difficult to understand how judges and Justices will be living in rented houses and hotels, that is not safe for our judicial officials, not convenient for them to do their work and do the President directed that the FCT through the FCDA should immediately construct 40 numbered judges and Justices quarters at Kantampe district.
“What it means is that out of these 40 FCT high courts which is like the FCT court will have 20, the federal high court Will have 10 and the court of Appeal will have 10 and this will be completed in 15 months’ time.”
In addition to the housing project, Wike said FEC approved several infrastructure developments to improve access to the judicial quarters.
There are the construction of an access road from Artillery Road N11 from Mabuchi to the judges’ quarters, development of all internal roads within the judges’ quarters.
Others are construction of an access road from Ring Road 1-N16 Shehu Shagari Way to the judges’ quarters and development of roads connecting to the Court of Appeal Abuja division.
He said these approvals are part of a larger infrastructure push in the FCT, which includes the development of over 75 kilometers of roads in satellite towns across Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Bwari area councils.
Wike also announced the termination of a previous contract for the development of Maitama 2, citing delays and lack of progress.
He said a new procurement process will be initiated to ensure the area’s development, potentially addressing housing deficits in the capital.
Meanwhile, FEC has approved several major road projects across the country, allocating billions of naira for construction.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced that the Abuja/Kano Road project, handled by Julius Berger, received approval for N740 billion. The project, initially valued at N155 billion, was revised to N797 billion by the previous administration and further increased to N1.5 trillion.
Other approved projects include the rehabilitation of Maraban-Kankara/Funtua Road in Katsina State, construction of the Sokoto/Badagry Super-highway Section 2, Phase 2A in Kebbi State, and dualization of Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe Road in Ebonyi, Abia, and Imo states.
Additionally, FEC approved N80 billion to complete the Bodo-Bonny Road in Rivers State, bringing the total cost to N280 billion.
The Third Mainland Bridge, previously executed under emergency work, has been upgraded with solar lights and CCTV cameras, enhancing security and reducing road blockages.
The minister said 14 road projects and bridges affected by floods, including Ado-Ekiti/Afe Babalola in Ekiti State and Lafia/Shendam Road in Plateau State.
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
