Employees Premium: FEC Okays N9.2bn Contract For Insurance Companies

*Revised National Policy On Climate Change Too
*Okays N5.6bn for 37 Oxygen Plants Nationwide

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its weekly meeting on
Wednesday approved the establishment of an oxygen production plant
in each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) at a cost of N5.6 billion.

This is just as the federal government also approved N9.2
billion as premium for life insurance scheme for federal civil
servants and military personnel while also giving the go-ahead for
the use of revised national policy on climate change in the
country.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by
President Muhammadu at the First Lady’s Conference Room,
Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stood in for the Minister of Health, Dr
Osagie Ehanire, said the approval was to cushion the effect of
COVID-19 pandemic, which has made oxygen a very critical
commodity.

He said: “The Minister of Health presented a memo, which was
approved, for the emergency supply, installation and maintenance of
oxygen production plants and construction of plant houses in each
of the 36 States of the federation and Abuja.

“The contract was approved in the sum of N5, 615, 127, 479
inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT, in favour of four different
companies, with a completion period of 20 weeks.”

Also briefing on behalf of the Head of Service of the
Federation, Information Minister said FEC approved N9.2 billion as
premium for insurance companies that will manage the group life
insurance for federal civil servants across the country.

“On behalf of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, I
will like to report that council today approved the award of
contract for the appointment of insurance companies for group life
assurance for federal government employees, public servants para
military and the intelligence community for the year 2021-2022 in
the sum of N9, 248. 995, 907 and this premium is for a period of 12
months.

“This is part of the government’s welfare programme for our
public employees so that in case of death, they are assured that
there would be compensation.”

FEC, Mohammed further said, approved N18.1 billion for the
development of infrastructure at Kano and Calabar Free Trade Zones,
as well as the Textile and Garment Park in Lagos and the Special
Economic Zone, Lekki–Lagos.

He said the approval was of critical importance to the
infrastructure development plan of the country.

Also speaking on behalf of the Minister of Aviation, the
Minister said an approval of N1. 1 billion was given by the council
for the procurement of aviation security uniforms and accessories
for use in various airports across the country.

His words: “Minister of Aviation got an approval for the award
of contract for direct procurement for the design, manufacture and
supply of aviation security uniforms and accessories.

“The sum total is N1, 127, 945. The unique thing about uniforms
for the aviation industry is that it has some International Civil
Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards that would be followed.”
On the memo approved for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs,
Mohammed said the sum of N864.7 million was approved as variation
for two road contracts which were abandoned by previous
administrations.

“The Minister of Niger Delta got approval for Okpula-Igwartanta
Phase I linking Imo and Rivers State, started in 2010. He got an
approval for a variation of N620, 763, 000. He also got approval
for erosion flood control on Ndemili-Utagba-Onitsha road in Delta
State, started in 2014. The council today approved N244 million to
augment the original contract sum.”

On her part, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning,
Zainab Ahmed, said she briefed council on the latest National
Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report on the 0.5 percent growth of the
nation’s GDP and presented the first quarter of 2021 GDP results
and other performance indicators of Nigeria.

The NBS had last month released its first quarter result, which
estimates and report show that Nigerian GDP has grown to 0.51%
year-on-year in real terms in the First Quarter of 2021.

According to her “This first quarter performance marks the
second consecutive quarter of positive real GDP growth following
two previous consecutive quarters of negative growth in 2020, in
Q3, and Q4, which saw our country going into recession, but you’ll
recall that we very quickly exited recession in the fourth quarter
of 2020.

“The improved economic condition that has been reported is
indicated by the fact that 23 out of 46 activities recorded
positive growth in the first quarter of 2021, compared to 17 in the
previous quarter.”

Also speaking, Minister of Environment, Mahammad Mahmud, said
FEC approved the revised National Policy on Climate Change
stressing that “the last one was in 2012 and it became necessary
for us to revise based on what has been happening in the last three
years since 2012 particularly with the various agreements”.

He stated that:“We all know climate change is our topic of
today, it has serious implications on economy, livelihoods. The
environment in general and economic change affect every body but we
have realized that it affects women even more and on this, we also
know that we have national polIcy on gender and climate change as
approved.

“This revised one has also put into consideration the national
policy on gender and climate change to include women in almost
every aspect of climate projects executions. We all know that
recently, a lot of flooding has been happening and is as a result
of climate change, insecurity is relatable with climate change.

“This climate change policy has repositioned Nigerians to begin
to upgrade all that we have achieved so that we can present during
the meeting.

“It’s implementation strategy is to be all encompassing. We have
met with several MDAs, agencies and civil society organisations and
even the media because this is something that requires all hands to
be on deck as we are all potential polluters of environment causing
climate change.

“Eventually and ultimately the objective is to help Nigeria that
is climate resilient and also gender sensitive in the future and
that is the vision of this policy because the world is moving
towards carbon neutrality.

“It is assumed that by the year 2015, we should have carbon
neutrality. Today, now is the time to get prepared for that so that
is what the policy is all about to drive towards a Nigeria that is
sustainable environmentally.”

*Revised National Policy On Climate Change Too
*Okays N5.6bn for 37 Oxygen Plants Nationwide

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its weekly meeting on
Wednesday approved the establishment of an oxygen production plant
in each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) at a cost of N5.6 billion.

This is just as the federal government also approved N9.2
billion as premium for life insurance scheme for federal civil
servants and military personnel while also giving the go-ahead for
the use of revised national policy on climate change in the
country.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by
President Muhammadu at the First Lady’s Conference Room,
Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stood in for the Minister of Health, Dr
Osagie Ehanire, said the approval was to cushion the effect of
COVID-19 pandemic, which has made oxygen a very critical
commodity.

He said: “The Minister of Health presented a memo, which was
approved, for the emergency supply, installation and maintenance of
oxygen production plants and construction of plant houses in each
of the 36 States of the federation and Abuja.

“The contract was approved in the sum of N5, 615, 127, 479
inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT, in favour of four different
companies, with a completion period of 20 weeks.”

Also briefing on behalf of the Head of Service of the
Federation, Information Minister said FEC approved N9.2 billion as
premium for insurance companies that will manage the group life
insurance for federal civil servants across the country.

“On behalf of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, I
will like to report that council today approved the award of
contract for the appointment of insurance companies for group life
assurance for federal government employees, public servants para
military and the intelligence community for the year 2021-2022 in
the sum of N9, 248. 995, 907 and this premium is for a period of 12
months.

“This is part of the government’s welfare programme for our
public employees so that in case of death, they are assured that
there would be compensation.”

FEC, Mohammed further said, approved N18.1 billion for the
development of infrastructure at Kano and Calabar Free Trade Zones,
as well as the Textile and Garment Park in Lagos and the Special
Economic Zone, Lekki–Lagos.

He said the approval was of critical importance to the
infrastructure development plan of the country.

Also speaking on behalf of the Minister of Aviation, the
Minister said an approval of N1. 1 billion was given by the council
for the procurement of aviation security uniforms and accessories
for use in various airports across the country.

His words: “Minister of Aviation got an approval for the award
of contract for direct procurement for the design, manufacture and
supply of aviation security uniforms and accessories.

“The sum total is N1, 127, 945. The unique thing about uniforms
for the aviation industry is that it has some International Civil
Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards that would be followed.”
On the memo approved for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs,
Mohammed said the sum of N864.7 million was approved as variation
for two road contracts which were abandoned by previous
administrations.

“The Minister of Niger Delta got approval for Okpula-Igwartanta
Phase I linking Imo and Rivers State, started in 2010. He got an
approval for a variation of N620, 763, 000. He also got approval
for erosion flood control on Ndemili-Utagba-Onitsha road in Delta
State, started in 2014. The council today approved N244 million to
augment the original contract sum.”

On her part, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning,
Zainab Ahmed, said she briefed council on the latest National
Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report on the 0.5 percent growth of the
nation’s GDP and presented the first quarter of 2021 GDP results
and other performance indicators of Nigeria.

The NBS had last month released its first quarter result, which
estimates and report show that Nigerian GDP has grown to 0.51%
year-on-year in real terms in the First Quarter of 2021.

According to her “This first quarter performance marks the
second consecutive quarter of positive real GDP growth following
two previous consecutive quarters of negative growth in 2020, in
Q3, and Q4, which saw our country going into recession, but you’ll
recall that we very quickly exited recession in the fourth quarter
of 2020.

“The improved economic condition that has been reported is
indicated by the fact that 23 out of 46 activities recorded
positive growth in the first quarter of 2021, compared to 17 in the
previous quarter.”

Also speaking, Minister of Environment, Mahammad Mahmud, said
FEC approved the revised National Policy on Climate Change
stressing that “the last one was in 2012 and it became necessary
for us to revise based on what has been happening in the last three
years since 2012 particularly with the various agreements”.

He stated that:“We all know climate change is our topic of
today, it has serious implications on economy, livelihoods. The
environment in general and economic change affect every body but we
have realized that it affects women even more and on this, we also
know that we have national polIcy on gender and climate change as
approved.

“This revised one has also put into consideration the national
policy on gender and climate change to include women in almost
every aspect of climate projects executions. We all know that
recently, a lot of flooding has been happening and is as a result
of climate change, insecurity is relatable with climate change.

“This climate change policy has repositioned Nigerians to begin
to upgrade all that we have achieved so that we can present during
the meeting.

“It’s implementation strategy is to be all encompassing. We have
met with several MDAs, agencies and civil society organisations and
even the media because this is something that requires all hands to
be on deck as we are all potential polluters of environment causing
climate change.

“Eventually and ultimately the objective is to help Nigeria that
is climate resilient and also gender sensitive in the future and
that is the vision of this policy because the world is moving
towards carbon neutrality.

“It is assumed that by the year 2015, we should have carbon
neutrality. Today, now is the time to get prepared for that so that
is what the policy is all about to drive towards a Nigeria that is
sustainable environmentally.”