FEC approves N377b for roads, power, education, others

THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday approved over N377. 53 billion for projects covering roads, power, education, water, health among other projects, after over six hours meeting.
Ministers of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, Power  Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, Water Resources Suleiman Adamu and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mohammed Bello briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Fashola, said council approved the completion of Police Service Commission headquarters in Abuja.
He said: “That project was approved for variation to enable its completion over the next six months. The initial cost was N3.486 billion and it has been increased to 3.925 billion, it is a variation of N439.113 million.”
He said council also approved Nnamdi Azikiwe Mausoleum in Anambra State. The project was started but not completed from previous administration.
“Council approved the additional funding to complete it from N1.496 billion to N1.953 billion”.
He said council approved road projects, which include Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria to Kano, at the cost of N155.7 billion and Efire-Araromi-Aiyede-Aiyela road to connect Ondo and Ogun State at cost of N14.4 billion.
The minister said for the Amansia section of Enugu-Onitsha highway, council approved the variations of the cost of N38.74 billion to enable the contractor progress with the work.
Fashola said council also approved  money for the intervention of education and healthcare.
It approved the provision of independent power plant to nine universities and one teaching hospital as the first phase of the pilot programme to cover 37 universities at the cost of N38.965 billion to provide dedicated power to the universities, which include street lighting and  workshop to train the students post-completion.
Adamu said council ratified augmentation of funds to complete Adada dam, Igbo-Atiti LGA in Enugu State, with the aim of providing water to the university town of Nsukka.
It comprises of a dam, some kilometres of pipeline, water supply to some communities along the route and to water treatment plant.
The Enugu State government, he said, is expected to take the conveyance system from where we stop from the water treatment plant into Nsukka town and provide the necessary distribution, storage and reservoirs.
He said: “The project was started in 2010. This project has been augmented and council approved that the project be completed now at N5.6 billion by the end of 2018.
Amaechi said council approved production and distribution of core text books for early education classes 1-3 and for primary 4-6 in public schools nationwide.
According to him, the government has resolved to investigate distribution of textbooks to schools in the country between 2009 and 2011 before commencement of the distribution of the new textbooks.
“Council also gave approval for Jos Central Library and the construction of the faculty of animal sciences and engineering,” he said
Amaechi said: “For Ministry of Transport, we had approval for two vessels called pilot cutters to escort vessels into the seaport. Prior to this time, they were hiring now. We have approval for NPA to buy theirs at the cost of N1.9 billion.
“Also council approved another two vessels of 17 meters in the eastern port that will help monitor and assist vessels into the seaport at the cost of N1.2 billion.
“Council also approved the award of contract for direct procurement of installation and commissioning of Wide Area of multilateration for the Gulf of Guinea at the cost of N3.9 billion. This is to help capture those equipment flying below the radar, for us to be able  to pick them because it will be dangerous if we cannot because a lot of them use helicopters.
“There was also an approval for the consultancy services to construct a new terminal building at Mallam Aminu Kano Airport. We just  want to complete the payment, which is at N621 million.
“Council also approved the purchase of flight calibration inspection at the cost of N111.6 million.
“One other key project that was approved is the engagement of consultants for the project management, monitoring and evaluation including media and public relations services of the UNEP report.
“The president has also directed immediately that remediation should start and so the processes for remediation should come to council within the next six months so that we can commence the activities of reclaiming the land from the disastrous stage that it is now. The President reminded the cabinet that he was in Ogoni during campaign and had promise that the UNEP report will be carried out.”
The FCT Minister said council approved the completion of the Goodluck Jonathan Way in the FCT that links traffic from Keffi-Nyanya into the city.
“We got an augmentation of an additional N3.8 billion and with the funding the road will be completed any moment from now.
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu said that the FEC which will continue today, has gone half way into the over 40 memos for consideration.
According to analysis of the various projects later released by Shehu, the road projects are coming at a time when the administration has increased the pace of the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and is considering increasing the scope of work on the East-West expressway, Port Harcourt to Lagos, the Second Niger Bridge and other roads.
“The first two years of the government have witnessed a drastic reduction of the number of stalled road projects and the commencement of new ones all over the country. At the rate it is boosting infrastructure investments, roads, rail and power, the Buhari administration has undoubtedly found the road to glory,” he stated.
He said the meeting was extended to today to enable the council deliberate and take decisions on pending issues.
According to him, the Federal Government plans to make Nigerians happy by providing tangible and meaningful projects to uplift their quality of life.
|The Nation