Supplementary budget for COVID-19 vaccines ready by March: Finance minister
The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, said the federal government would draw a supplementary budget in March to cover the cost of COVID-19 vaccinations.
“There will be a supplementary budget. The first one will be in March relating to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ms. Ahmed revealed to journalists on Thursday.
The minister added that the government was working alongside health authorities on a plan to be approved by the president and lawmakers.
The government did not include the buying and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in its N13.6 trillion 2021 budget, the highest in the nation’s history.
Last week, health minister Osagie Ehanire told journalists in Lagos that the country expected COVID-19 vaccines to arrive soon. UNICEF had disclosed that 16 million doses of the Covax vaccine would get to Nigeria, though it did not provide a timeline.
Nigeria plans to inoculate 40 percent of its 200 million population this year and another 30 percent in 2022.
Saturday will make it a year since Nigeria confirmed its index COVID-19 case.
The country currently has 154,476 confirmed cases and 1,891 deaths, according to data provided by the NCDC.
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
States
Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future
The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Heading 4
ADC kicks off 2027 campaign in Imo, promises grassroots developmentÂ
Mr Ihedioha explained that he associated with the party’s candidates because of their integrity.
States
Kebbi: Hassan-Augie wins fresh APC primary for Argungu/Augie constituency
The party said the constituency had 44,784 registered delegates, while 34,332 votes were cast in the election.
Heading 2
Catholic Church inaugurates community care, good governance initiative in Enugu
The clergyman said that religious faith should go beyond worship to positively influence people’s lives.
Heading 5
Group seeks curriculum review to tackle unemployment in NigeriaÂ
Ms Mshelia urged parents to encourage their wards to acquire other skills in addition to Western education.
Heading 3
Nigeria’s envoy to Israel presents credentials to Cyprus president
The president reaffirmed the deep and enduring friendship between Cyprus and Nigeria.
States
NDPHC begins project to end 15-year blackout in Kaduna community
Mr Agim said the Rigasa project underscored NDPHC’s commitment to extending critical electricity infrastructure beyond generation.
