FG working tirelessly to reduce effects of COVID-19 lockdown – Min of industry Adebayo

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment has disclosed that the Federal Government is working assiduously to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 lockdown through sustainable production, transportation and unhindered distribution of essential products such as  food, medical, pharmaceutical and  agro-allied products in the country.

The Minister Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo,stated this at his weekly update on the performance of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) of the Committee on Sustainable Production and Delivery of Essential Commodities During COVID-19 in Abuja.

Otunba Adebayo in a statement by Deputy Director, Press FMITI, Haruna Ibrahim said despite initial challenges faced as a result of Inter-State border closure by some states Governors, the ministry is constantly engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure free-flow of essential cargo within the country and at the ports of arrival.

He said,” as  directed by President Muhammadu  Buhari  in a National Broadcast and  to ensure that our economy adapts to this new reality, my Ministry will be collaborating with the Communication and Digital Economy Ministry, the Science and Technology Ministry, the Ministry of Transportation and Aviation, the Ministry of Interior, Health, Works and Housing, Labour and Employment as well as Education to jointly develop a comprehensive policy for a Nigerian economy functioning with COVID-19.

This Committee, as directed by Mr. President, will be supported by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Economic Sustainability Committee in executing its mandate”.

The Minister also applauded the efforts of emergency operation centre (EOC) members in their prompt response in resolving incidences that will hinder the free flow of Essential Commodities, saying they have not only done very well in representing the Ministry, but have also been proactive in projecting the Ministry as well as representing it at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID- 19 .

Also speaking, the Minister of State, Amb. Mariam Yalwaji Katagum said that  as an offshoot of the Committee on Sustainable Production/Delivery of Essential Commodities (SPEC)  the Ministry  established an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) to monitor the supply of Essential Commodities nationwide adding that, the Operation Centre, which is housed at the FMITI, monitors the live status of  transportation and delivery of essential goods to cut down on the difficulties being faced by manufacturers, transporters, and distributors of Essential Commodities across the country. 

“The Committee has received a total number of 55 requests for intervention across the country, 54 of which have been resolved at the level of the Committee. 68% of these interventions are logistics related, and about 20% of the interventions are market Intelligence issues where we have been able to pair supply and demand to keep production afloat. Other requests had to do with direct manufacturing operations and some requests were retail related” Katagum added.