By Ismaila Chafe
The Federal executive Council (FEC) has approved N11.8 billion for the procurement of equipment and setting up of a fire fighting trucks maintenance centre in Katsina State and an aircraft maintenance centre in Abuja.
Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika revealed this when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the Council meeting, presided over President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said: “we got approval for the award of contracts for the establishment of a fire truck maintenance and refurbishment centre in Katsina State and this is a very critical procurement for us.
”It is to attend to all the issues we are having with fire tenders all over the country.
“Past governments used to shift these firefighting equipment back to Europe where they were manufactured, just to get them refurbished and brought back at a cost and time; thus exporting our labour and foreign exchange.
”But the Buhari government decided that we should establish one of such centres.
”The approval was for N7, 913, 949, 964, inclusive of 6.5 percent Value Added Tax .”
The Minister said when fully established, the centre would cater for aviation firefighting trucks as well as other heavy duty vehicles.
”That centre will cater for aviation firefighting equipment including all other firefighting equipment around the country.
”In fact it is not going to be limited to firefighting but it will be for heavy duty vehicles that could be maintained,” the minister maintained.
According to him, with time, as the workers in the centre gain experience, the centre will go into assembly of such trucks in Nigeria and eventually begin to manufacture such vehicles locally.
He added that N3, 985, 432, 685 was approved for the construction of the building that would house the maintenance centre.
Sirika also disclosed that the ministry got approval for the full business case for the establishment of a maintenance and overhaul facility in the country, where aircrafts would be maintained in Nigeria.
“In this particular case, we will be doing the maintenance of aircrafts here, once the facility is established.
”This business case is for 30 years and a consortium will carry out the work and they will be paying a fixed fee of 30, 000 dollars in the first year with annual escalation rate of three percent payable annually and in advance,” he explained.
Council also approved N592m for procurement of MRI diagnostic machine at OAU Teaching Hospital Ile-Ife.
The Minister of State, Health, Ekumankama Joseph, who also briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, said the Council approved N592million for procurement of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) diagnostic machine for OAU Teaching Hospital Ile-Ife.
He stated that the procurement had become necessary following poor services to patients suffering from ailments requiring thorough diagnosis.
According to him, the Council in its magnanimity approved the purchase of the single unit 1.5 MRI equipment to replace the obsolete one of 0.2 which is no longer up to standard.
Joseph expressed optimism that upon delivery and installation of the equipment, patients who go through pains traveling to access better health services would stay back and access them at their leisure.
He said: “The memo that we presented from the Federal Ministry of Health is for the procurement of MRI equipment for the Obafemi Awolowo University Hospital, that is Magnetic Resonance Imaging equipment.
”You may not be aware that the University hospital has only one 0.2 Tesla MRI equipment, which is no longer up to standard when you compare it with the advanced technology.
”That has made the availability of 1.5 MRI equipment for diagnostic services in most hospitals, both within and outside the country.
”So, we have been having challenges of giving the very best of health services to people, patients who come to the hospital for diagnostic services and treatment.
“So, today FEC in its wisdom approved for procurement and supply of one unit A 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine, and other accessories for the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife in the sum of N592,271,792.48.
”This is inclusive of 7.5% VAT with a delivery period of six months.
“With the procurement of this equipment, it is strongly believed that most patients that usually travel to Lagos or other surrounding environment close to Ile-Ife, to seek for better medical services, will now be able to have the comfort and leisure of staying back in Ife to get the medical services they need in terms of diagnosis and treatment at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital.
“So we thank the Council for the privilege of receiving this kind of approval which will go a long way to strengthen the health services at the University Teaching Hospital”. (NAN)
