FEC approves N10.2bn projects for Water Resources, Aviation, Presidency

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of
N10.168 billion for the execution of various projects under the
ministries of Water Resources, Aviation, as well as two agencies
under the Presidency.

The virtual FEC, which was presided over by the Vice President,
Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), held in the First Lady’s Conference
Room of the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the virtual
meeting, Ministers of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu;
Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika; and Information and Culture, Alhaji
Lai Mohammed, gave details of the various projects approved by
Council.

In the Ministry of Water Resources, the Minister said Council
approved augmentation for two contracts, which had been affected by
time and inflation.

“The contracts, Bagwai Irrigation Project in Kano State and the
Biu Water Supply Project in Borno State, according to Adamu, got an
aggregate of N8.825 billion.

“The first one was for expansion and completion of Bagwai
Irrigation Project on Watari Dan in Bagwai local government area of
Kano State. We have sought for an augmentation of N3.76 billion,
which was approved.

“Therefore, Council was gracious to approve this augmentation
with sum of N3.762 billion, bringing the new contract sum from N5.4
billion to N9.2 billion, inclusive of 7.5% VAT, with an additional
completion period of 24 months plus another 12 months liability
period.

“The second memo was for requesting for augmentation for Biu
Water Supply Project. Again, this is a project that was started in
2001, but is still yet to be completed. It ran into a lot of
problems, mainly associated with funding and the Boko Haram
insurgency. So, we sought for an augmentation.

“So, the total augmentation, like I said, is N5.063 billion,
bringing the contracts sum now to N9.36 billion from N4.29 billion,
inclusive 7.5% VAT, with a new completion period of 24 months. We
hope that these projects will be implemented in earnest and
hopefully, we’ll be able to get them completed by 2023 for the
overall benefit of the people,” he said.

For the Ministry of Aviation, Council approved a contract for
the procurement of a towable mobile office for the Accident
Investigation Bureau (AIB) of the Civil Aviation Authority.

“The contract is for the procurement, equipment and installation
of accident investigation towable mobile offices in favour of
Messrs. Crases Integrity Services Limited. The total contract sum
is N201,150,437.21.

“The purpose of this equipment, once purchased, if there is, God
forbid, an accident anywhere, these mobile offices will be driven
to the location and an office will be established for the purposes
of taking data, collecting samples and gathering information
regarding the incident and then analysing them on site and tagging
them and doing all sorts of things there and you know, this can
take any time, sometimes a few hours, sometimes even weeks,” he
said.

Also reporting two memoranda approved by Council in President
Muhammadu Buhari’s name, the Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaji Mohammed said “I have two memos presented in the name of Mr.
President. The first was a memo seeking approval of Council for the
enhancement of security at the newly completed premises of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters located at
Jabi. You will recall that from 2011 upwards, there’ve been various
attacks on federal government institutions and even multilateral
institutions like the United Nations’ building.

“Consequent upon those attacks in 2011, 2014, 2018, the federal
government set up what is called the Vulnerability Assessment
Committee to see how we can better protect ministries, departments
and agencies and it’s in line with this that the EFCC, today
presented to Council a memo seeking approval for the procurement of
four sets of automatic and static anti-crush boulder system, with
automatic vehicle scanners and other accessors, linear metres
perimeter fencing, intrusion detection system and human screening
equipment, four walk-through metal detectors, two handheld metal
scanners, one luggage scanner and three handheld explosive trace
detectors, all at the value of N805,738,541.95, inclusive of the
7.5% VAT, with the completion period of 12 weeks. The memo was
approved by Council.

“The second memo, which Mr. President presented today is a memo
seeking Council’s approval for the procurement of 16 vehicles for
the use of Federal Civil Service Commission. You know “we have 16
members of the FCC; the Chairman and 15 commissioners representing
the states and they normally embark on extensive advocacy visits
and team oversight functions to ministries, departments and
agencies across the country.

“So, they asked for replacement of the old unserviceable
vehicles and the Council duly approved the purchase of one Toyota
Landcruiser V8 and 15 Toyota Rush, all at a total of N336,216,198,”
he said.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of
N10.168 billion for the execution of various projects under the
ministries of Water Resources, Aviation, as well as two agencies
under the Presidency.

The virtual FEC, which was presided over by the Vice President,
Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), held in the First Lady’s Conference
Room of the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the virtual
meeting, Ministers of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu;
Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika; and Information and Culture, Alhaji
Lai Mohammed, gave details of the various projects approved by
Council.

In the Ministry of Water Resources, the Minister said Council
approved augmentation for two contracts, which had been affected by
time and inflation.

“The contracts, Bagwai Irrigation Project in Kano State and the
Biu Water Supply Project in Borno State, according to Adamu, got an
aggregate of N8.825 billion.

“The first one was for expansion and completion of Bagwai
Irrigation Project on Watari Dan in Bagwai local government area of
Kano State. We have sought for an augmentation of N3.76 billion,
which was approved.

“Therefore, Council was gracious to approve this augmentation
with sum of N3.762 billion, bringing the new contract sum from N5.4
billion to N9.2 billion, inclusive of 7.5% VAT, with an additional
completion period of 24 months plus another 12 months liability
period.

“The second memo was for requesting for augmentation for Biu
Water Supply Project. Again, this is a project that was started in
2001, but is still yet to be completed. It ran into a lot of
problems, mainly associated with funding and the Boko Haram
insurgency. So, we sought for an augmentation.

“So, the total augmentation, like I said, is N5.063 billion,
bringing the contracts sum now to N9.36 billion from N4.29 billion,
inclusive 7.5% VAT, with a new completion period of 24 months. We
hope that these projects will be implemented in earnest and
hopefully, we’ll be able to get them completed by 2023 for the
overall benefit of the people,” he said.

For the Ministry of Aviation, Council approved a contract for
the procurement of a towable mobile office for the Accident
Investigation Bureau (AIB) of the Civil Aviation Authority.

“The contract is for the procurement, equipment and installation
of accident investigation towable mobile offices in favour of
Messrs. Crases Integrity Services Limited. The total contract sum
is N201,150,437.21.

“The purpose of this equipment, once purchased, if there is, God
forbid, an accident anywhere, these mobile offices will be driven
to the location and an office will be established for the purposes
of taking data, collecting samples and gathering information
regarding the incident and then analysing them on site and tagging
them and doing all sorts of things there and you know, this can
take any time, sometimes a few hours, sometimes even weeks,” he
said.

Also reporting two memoranda approved by Council in President
Muhammadu Buhari’s name, the Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaji Mohammed said “I have two memos presented in the name of Mr.
President. The first was a memo seeking approval of Council for the
enhancement of security at the newly completed premises of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters located at
Jabi. You will recall that from 2011 upwards, there’ve been various
attacks on federal government institutions and even multilateral
institutions like the United Nations’ building.

“Consequent upon those attacks in 2011, 2014, 2018, the federal
government set up what is called the Vulnerability Assessment
Committee to see how we can better protect ministries, departments
and agencies and it’s in line with this that the EFCC, today
presented to Council a memo seeking approval for the procurement of
four sets of automatic and static anti-crush boulder system, with
automatic vehicle scanners and other accessors, linear metres
perimeter fencing, intrusion detection system and human screening
equipment, four walk-through metal detectors, two handheld metal
scanners, one luggage scanner and three handheld explosive trace
detectors, all at the value of N805,738,541.95, inclusive of the
7.5% VAT, with the completion period of 12 weeks. The memo was
approved by Council.

“The second memo, which Mr. President presented today is a memo
seeking Council’s approval for the procurement of 16 vehicles for
the use of Federal Civil Service Commission. You know “we have 16
members of the FCC; the Chairman and 15 commissioners representing
the states and they normally embark on extensive advocacy visits
and team oversight functions to ministries, departments and
agencies across the country.

“So, they asked for replacement of the old unserviceable
vehicles and the Council duly approved the purchase of one Toyota
Landcruiser V8 and 15 Toyota Rush, all at a total of N336,216,198,”
he said.