Federal Executive Council has approved contracts for the provision of security infrastructure at the United Nation’s building in Abuja at the cost of N6.9billion.
This is just as government also announced the award of contracts for the procurement and installation of very high frequency radio equipment at the various airports across the country.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) and Mohammed Bello and Minister of state for Aviation, Hadi Sirika disclosed these while briefing State House Correspondents, after the weekly meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari
The contract for the provision of security equipment and associated infrastructure including furnishing for UN building that is currently under construction in Abuja will run for aperiod of 12 months.
The UN building was bombed in August 2011 by terrorists destroying some part the entire building as well as the loss of lives.
“At that time, as part of Nigeria’s commitment to the ideal las of UN and the support and also as reciprocation of what the UN has done for this country over the years, the government decided to reconstruct the UN building.
The infrastructure in the building which is currently being reconstructed will secure and fortify the the building properly against future attacks of the type that occurred in 2011.
According to the fct minister, ” UN at the highest level contacted the government Nigeria and requested that some very critical security infrastructure needed to be put up in that building to enable the approximately 18 agencies of the UN that are presently housed in many buildings across abuja, so that they can relocate to the building”
The contract was awarded to the main contractor that constructed the building, that is messers Julius Berger PLC at N6,972,986,898.
The scope of the contract is to provide the latest level of security parameter fencing that is capable of withstanding bomb blast as well as fortifying gates to the highest international standards and the creation of three police posts including the installations of body scanners, baggage scanners as well as the installation of close circuit television across the internal and external portions of the building.
” So, all these will be done within a period of 13 months, hopefully by which time the UN will move to its office and they will be able to operate from one location under fortified security that is up to the standard that the UN is used to”
Council also approved a contract for the procurement and installation of very high frequency radio equipment in Kano, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt amongst other airports.
Other airports that will benefit from the contract Include Enugu, Calabar, Benin, Jos, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Ilorin.
The Minister said the aimed is to significantly improve the radio communication and ensure that the whole country is covered by this radio.
“This radio is needed for communication between pilots and towers and it is an important tool for safety. This is will of course deal with the issue of inadequate radio equipment that we have had in the country earlier than now. It is a very big relief for the country.”
“The total sum of the contract N1.147,506,398.98 and the completion period is 20 months”
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
