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As part of efforts to improve infrastructure across the country, Federal Executive Council ( FEC) has approved various contracts worth N61.4b
The dredging of the Escavos and Warri Seaport as well as replacement of the bad navigational aids at the port, took the biggest chunk of the approvals at 13 billion.
The Ministers of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, Education, Adamu Adamu, Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, and Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi took turns to explain their ministries’ memos while briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola said FEC also approved contracts for the Baban Lamba-Sharam Road in Plateau state for the construction of 44.625 kilometers for N19.392 billion, the 81Km Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road which contract variation was approved from the initial N22b to N56.7b, and the Port Harcourt end of the Enugu to Port Harcourt road which was awarded at the cost of N6.03b
According to him, ” the Lagos-Ota- Abeokuta road was first awarded in year 2000 and it has since been left uncompleted because they want no budgetary provisions for it.
This administration in trying to move this contractor to site stated the revision of the rate. So the revised rate were brought to council today and a revision of N22 billion was approved for the 81 kilometers road, bringing the total contract price to N56.701 billion.
“The third approval was for the section four of the Enugu Port Harcourt Road, the part between Abia and Port Harcourt, particularly in Port Harcourt that has been problematic and has failed severally. We have a contractor there but we needed to change the design because of the storm water drainage needs and the high water tables there so that the road does not fail”
FEC also approved an Inter-Ministerial committee to advice government on the best methods of disseminating information of the achievements of the current administration.
At the end of the day, the council decided to set up an inter-ministerial committee to fashion out a marshal plan with the ministry of Information to advise government on how policies and programmers can be better disseminated. In particular to advise government on how the ministry and its agencies can deliver on its own mandate”
Education Minister, Adamu Adamu said FEC also approved the establishment of the first full Army University to be located at Biu in Borno state.
The ministry of Water Resources had in their memo highlighted the challenge of Urban water supply which is regressing
Other include the need to improve sanitation which it said has “decreased over time”
The Minster said “we have not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals and that works services in the rural areas are unsustainable, and spending on water sector has declined by .7% to .72% of the GDP in 2010”
“We had three prayers for the council to approve the action plan: to declare a state of emergency on water and sanitation sector; to approve the establishment of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Fund for the country. This fund will be one that federal, states and international donors can put in money so that we can begin to address the crisis water and sanitation sector in the country.
“We also requested that henceforth the budget for water and sanitation in the country to be significantly increased so that we will be able to face these challenges. Council accepted our prayers and we will move on”
Minister of interior , Danbazzau said FEC approved contract for the completion of two faculty buildings and Cadet Mess and Cafeteria for Police Academy in Kano to enable the institution meet accreditation requirements
“_So the total amount of the contract is about l N234 million. Once it is completed, we will invite the NUJ to have a look at some of the programmes that are yet to be accredited”
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
