The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N33 billion for the reconstruction of the Bida-Lapai-Lambata road and N2.4 billion for the upgrade of Lagos, Abuja, Akure and Benin airports.
This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Shehuri who addressed State House correspondents at the end of Council’s meeting alongside the Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika.
The meeting was chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to Shehuri, the Bida-Lapai-Lambata road in Niger State is a very important road linking South West to the Northern part of the country.
“The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing today presented two memos to Council. One is for reconstruction of a road from Bida-Lapai-Lambata road in Niger state.
“The road is about 123.9 kilometers. It costs N33 billion. It is the second road that connects South West to the North.
“So, it is a very important road and because of its important, the council graciously approved the contract for the road,’’ he said.
The minister also disclosed that the council approved N224 million for extension of consultancy service for 215 megawatts power plant in Kudendan in Kaduna State.
The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, also disclosed that the council approved N6 billion for aviation equipment and another N2.588 billion for procurement of Aeronautical Information System (AIS) that will give accurate information including weather information to pilots and aviators.
He added that N1.18 billion was also approved by the council to upgrade the airports in Lagos and Abuja to category three as well as to provide Instrument Landing System (ILS) in the country against harsh weather conditions.
According to him, N1.175 billion was also approved to upgrade airports in Akure and Benin to category two with completion period of 20 weeks.
Hajiya Habiba Lawal, a Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), told the correspondents that the SGF comprising seven agencies presented a report of its scorecard on projects implemented since May 2015 to December 2017.
She said that the agencies, which included the Ecological Fund office, the Cabinet Affairs office, the Federal Road Safety Commission, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, National Pensions Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Population Commission, undertook 94 projects during the period.
Out of the 94 projects, she said that 30 projects were brought to the Council for approval while the remaining 64 were done at the ministerial threshold.
According to her, 16 of the 30 projects approved by the Council have been completed, eight of the projects between 70 and 90 per cent completion while about four of the projects are between 40 and 50 percent completion.
She said 55 of the 64 projects taken at the ministerial threshold had been 100 per cent completed and the remaining nine projects still ongoing.
She said that the N54 billion projects covered 32 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), saying that “71 of the projects have been completed while 23 projects are still ongoing.’’
“All together within the period under review we had an approval of N54billon and it is within those approvals that these 94 projects have done for which 71 projects have been completed.
“And for the Federal Road Safety Corp, it has sought approval as far back as Nov. 2016 for the award of contract for the direct procurement of operational vehicles for the Federal Road Safety Commission It has also procured those vehicles, about 100 vehicles and they have also been distributed to different sectors and offices.
“The National Hajj Commission also sought approval and was given sometime in 2017 to acquire, renovate and furnish a property which is located at plot 991 and 992 Maimalari Street at Central Business District,’’ she added.(NAN)
