Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday presided over the first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of 2023 at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja.
At the beginning of the Council meeting, members held prayers led by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare and his Aviation counterpart, Senator Hadi Sirika.
In an unusual development, over 20 ministers and their ministers of state were in attendance physically.
Also present are the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Doctor Folasade Yemi-Esan; and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Doctor Adeola Ipaye.
Ministers in attendance include Niyi Adebayo Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Health, Osagie Ehanire; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite.
Also present are the ministers of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige; Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Agriculture, Mohammad Abubakar; Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; Niger Delta, Umana Umana.
The ministers also included those of Special Duties, George Akume, Power, Abubakar Aliyu; Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi; Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare; Justice, Abubakar Malami, Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo and Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi.
Others are Ministers of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum; Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; Science and Technology, Henry Ikoh; Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada; Petroleum, Timipre Sylva.
President Muhammadu Buhari had reportedly embarked onn an official trip to Nouakchott, Mauritania, for the Third Forum of the African Conference for Peace is expected back into the country today.
Buhari, who was honoured by the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum with ‘Award for Strengthening Peace in Africa’ on Tuesday, told other African leaders that Nigeria and other regional bodies on the continent and the rest of the world are working assiduously to deal with existential threats to the very existence of humanity.