Abuja – The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the White Paper on the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Security Challenges in the North East Zone.
Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, disclosed this after FEC meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The committee chaired by Alhaji Usman Galtimari, was inaugurated by Jonathan at the onset of violent agitation by the Boko Haram.
The committee had investigated the remote and immediate causes of the crisis and made far reaching recommendations on how to resolve it.
It submitted its final report on September 26 to the President, through Vice President, Namadi Sambo.
Government subsequently set-up another committee headed by Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, to look into the recommendations of the Panel and come up with government position and a White Paper.
Briefing State House correspondents, Maku said that the council had extensively discussed the recommendations and approved the implementation of the White Paper.
He said that the White Paper would be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, for gazetting and public circulation.
The minister said the approval was in line with the importance the President attached to the need for peace, not only in the North East but in all parts of the country.
Maku said the report covered various levels of responsibilities to be played by the community, local, state and the federal governments in tackling increasing violence and terror in the country.
The report, according to him, also attaches new responsibilities to security agencies in bringing about peace and security in the country.
Moro, who also spoke on some specifics of the white paper, said the issue of indigenes and settlers was addressed, as well as the Sokoto State example, where there was no discrimination in terms of education and employment opportunities, which was recommended and adopted as a national model.
He said the report also recommended the need for job creation, elimination of political thuggery and the reform of Almajiri education.
“The government accepts most of the recommendations of the committee that are intended essentially to bring about peace and address some of the issues raised by members of the sect that has been perpetrating violence and conflicts in parts of Nigeria.
“Government in consideration of the White Paper also realises that some of the issues raised cut across Nigeria, and so the measures that will be applied in these areas in the North East zone of Nigeria certainly will also apply to some other parts of Nigeria,’’ Moro said.
In another development, Maku said that council also deliberated on a report of activities of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
He said the report detailed some of the projects awarded on Public Private Partnership (PPP) and the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to key into the system..
The minister said the council had agreed that MDAs should come up with lists of projects to be concessioned on PPP arrangement for approval. (NAN)
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