Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: FEC

  • FEC Approves N4bn To Build Barracks For NDLEA Personnel

    FEC Approves N4bn To Build Barracks For NDLEA Personnel

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved over four billion naira for the construction of barracks to accommodate the personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    Disclosing this in a briefing with pressmen after the FEC meeting on Wednesday, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said the project became necessary because of the “unprecedented” threats and attacks on personnel, officers, men and other ranks of the agency.

    “What was presented today by the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice is a council memo at the instance of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). As you are aware, there is a renewed and sustained onslaught against drug cartels and barons overtime.

    “Within the three months of 2023, about 18,940 arrests were affected by the NDLEA and drugs with estimated value of over N40 billion naira were confiscated. Again, about 2,904 convictions were recorded. These successes that were recorded unfortunately translated to unprecedented threats and attacks on personnel, officers, men and other ranks of the agency.

    “And then the need has arisen for the Federal Government to consider the possibility of security measures that will now provide the prerequisite protection to the officers and men of the agency for commission,” he stated.

    According to Malami, two contracts were awarded to two companies to carry out the project. They are Wizchino Engineering Limited and JP Sigma Nigeria Limited.

    He said the blocks which consist of many flats, cost N2.2 billion to the first contractor and the sum of N2.8 billion to the second contractor.

  • Buhari Presides Over FEC Meeting

    Buhari Presides Over FEC Meeting

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    Buhari arrived 40 minutes later than usual, while the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was conspicuously absent.

    The ministers present included those of Health, Osagie Ehanire; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk; that of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite; Labour and Employment, Doctor Chris Ngige.

    Also in attendance were Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Power, Abubakar Aliyu; Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi; Justice, Abubakar Malami, Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo and Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi.

    Others were Ministers of Women Affairs, Paulen Tallen; Humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development; minister of state for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; Minister of power, Abubakar Aliyu; Aviation, Hadi Sirika as well as police affairs, MAIGARI Dingyadi.

    The Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Doctor Folasade Yemi-Esan, were also present.

  • FEC Approves N1.9trn For NNPCL To Build 44 Roads

    FEC Approves N1.9trn For NNPCL To Build 44 Roads

    The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the recommendation by the Ministry of Works and Housing for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC Ltd) and its subsidiaries to invest the sum of N1.9trn for the reconstruction of 44 selected federal roads across the country.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, announced this Wednesday after the FEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    Akande said the expected expenditure was in furtherance of the Federal Government’s Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Policy, phase two by the NNPC Ltd and its subsidiaries.

    He said the council also approved concessionaires for nine road corridors under the pilot phase of the Value Added Concession of the highways development and management initiative following the issuance of the requisite full business case compliance certificates by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission for a period of 25 years.

    The road corridors approved for the first phase were the Benin-Asaba corridor, Abuja-Lokoja-Onitsha-Owerri-Aba-Shagamu-to Benin, Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi, Kano-Maiduguri, that is the Kano Shauri, Enugu-Port Harcourt, Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta, and Lagos-Badagry-Seme.

    Akande said the FEC also approved the augmentation of contract for the rehabilitation of the Oshogbo-Ilesha Road in favour of Messers Orizon construction company in the sum of N1.2bn, thereby revising the subsisting contract sum from N3bn to N4bn, representing an increase of 33% of the original sum.

    The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the FEC approved N2,296,897,404 for the local assemblage of Magnus Centennial Aircraft and Stimulator in Zaria, Kaduna State.

    He said the local assemblage of Magnus training aircraft in the country was expected within the next 18 months, stating that two of such aircraft should ready before the end of the present administration in May this year.

    Sirika assured that in not too distant future, Nigeria would commence manufacturing of aircrafts.

    According to him, the manufacturer of the airplane is based in Hungary and has local company called Ingenious to be done in Zaria.

    He said his ministry presented two memoranda bordering on the local assemblage of Magnus aircraft and review of the cost of Instrument Landing System (ILS) in three airports by additional N546,109,336. 33 with 7.5 percent VAT.

    The minister said the FEC also approved the memorandum that revised the estimated total cost and augmentation of contract for procurement and installation of Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Port Harcourt International Airport, Kano International Airport, and Katsina Airport.

    He said the contract, awarded earlier, had to be reviewed due to fluctuations in foreign exchange.

    The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, said the council approved N1,354,016,250 for the procurement of 31 project vehicles for the hydrocarbon pollution remediation projects in Ogoni land of Rivers State.

    He said the vehicles of various brands would be deployed for the monitoring of power and remediation projects in some polluted areas.

  • FEC earmarks N87.4bn for construction of Minna-Kontogora road

    FEC earmarks N87.4bn for construction of Minna-Kontogora road

    The Federal Executive Council has approved N87.4 billion for the construction of section one of the Minna-Zungeru-Tegina-Kontagora highway.

    The Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja at the end of the council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Fashola disclosed that the highway project was one of the four memos approved for the ministry by the FEC.

    He said the highway project, approved in favour of a joint venture, DeValco HMF Construction, would be funded as previously approved in 2021 under the Tax Credit Scheme.

    The second memo was presented to the council on behalf of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency for the award of a contract for the construction of the Iseri North Road in Lagos that connects Ogun.

    He said the contract was approved in favour of Acute Option Limited with a contract value of N2,104,483,739.

    He stated that the FEC also approved payments of pension for members of staff of the now-defunct Federal Mortgage Finance Limited.

    “This stood at N4,774,517,205 with an additional N41.96 million,” he added.

    Also speaking the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, expressed regrets about the unfortunate incident in Zamfara where air strikes by combatants of the Nigerian Air Force accidentally killed some innocent citizens while targeting bandits.

  • FEC Approves N14.88bn For Construction Of FIRS Office

    FEC Approves N14.88bn For Construction Of FIRS Office

    The Federal Executive Council has approved a contract for the construction of a new office block and parking lot worth over N14.88 billion for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

    The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, disclosed this on Wednesday after the Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House.

    Ogba told State House Correspondents that the Construction of the 12 storey building would save FIRS N4 billion annual rent and decongest traffic along Awolowo Road.

    The Council also approved the creation of a database of the National Capital Projects Information System of Government, to track the growing abandoned and uncompleted projects across the country, particularly in the last five years, which drains national funds.

    The National Capital Projects and Information System, which involves key infrastructure ministries, is to be headed by the Finance Minister to prioritize and fund selected projects on a yearly basis and possibly privatize some of the projects, repurposed some for alternative use, and completely abandon others (depending on the outcome of investigations) treating them as a sunk cost.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture, Mohammad Abubakar, has stated that the government is working to decrease the inflation rate, primarily through subsidizing fertilizer, improving production, and preventing smuggling among other strategies.

    He again debunked claims that the nation would experience a food shortage in 2023.

  • Floods: FEC approves N506bn for East-West road construction

    Floods: FEC approves N506bn for East-West road construction

    The Federal Executive Council  has approved the variation in the sum of the contract for East-West road project sections 1-4 from Warri to Port Harcourt, Eket, Oron, by  N260 billion, bringing the total amount required for it to N506 billion.

    The original cost for the sections was about N246 billion.

    The variation was part of the decisions reached by the council presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

    The council approved another N140 billion worth of contracts for the rehabilitation, construction and reconstruction of some other roads in different parts of the country.

    According to the spokesman of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, who briefed correspondents on the issue, the variation followed a memorandum presented to the council by the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, as part of efforts to provide succour and resolve issues around the recent floods.

    The presidential aide said, “He got approval for the variation order in respect of repair works on the East-West road project affected during the recent flooding occurrences in the Niger Delta.

    “So, the approval was for a variation order for the East-West road project sections 1-4 from Warri to Port Harcourt, Eket, Oron, including Oron-Eket bypass in the sum of N260 billion, thereby increasing the total contract sum for the outstanding sections 1-4 of the East West road projects from the sum of formerly of N246 billion now to N506 billion. The memo was approved.”

  • Osinbajo Presides over FEC Meeting

    Osinbajo Presides over FEC Meeting

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is presiding over the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja.

    Osinbajo is standing in for President Muhammadu Buhari who left Abuja Monday for regular medical check-up in London, the United Kingdom.

    The FEC, at the commencement of the meeting, observed a minute silence in honour of Nigeria’s first Aviation Minister, Mabzulike Amechi, who died on Tuesday at the age of 93.

    The meeting holding at the Council Chambers is being attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd).

    Ministers present at the meeting include that of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami; Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare; Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo and Science and Technology, Olorunnimbe Mamora, among others.

  • Osinbajo Presides Over FEC Meeting

    Osinbajo Presides Over FEC Meeting

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is presiding over the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meting at the State House, Abuja.

    Osinbajo is standing in for President Muhammadu Buhari who is away to Seoul, South Korea to attend the maiden World Bio Summit.

    The meeting holding at the Council Chambers is being attended by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari and National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd).

    Ministers present at the meeting include that of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami; Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Power, Abubakar Aliyu and Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami.

  • FEC approves N580m for Purchase of Armoured Vehicles for NDLEA

    FEC approves N580m for Purchase of Armoured Vehicles for NDLEA

    The Federal Executive Council, on Wednesday, September 28, approved N580.50m for the purchase of four armoured vehicles for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

    The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed this to State House correspondents shortly after the weekly Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to Abubakar Malami, the decision to procure the armoured vehicles was taken to encourage and safeguard the lives of NDLEA operatives.

    Speaking with journalists at the end of the FEC meeting, Malami said operatives of the agency have been working hard with lots of results to show for their efforts.

    “Today, a memo was presented by the office of the attorney general of the federation, that is, the Federal Ministry of Justice, which was relating to a parastatal under the supervision of the office of the attorney general; the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),” he said.

    “The purpose of the memo was to seek approval of the council for the award of contract for the supply of four customised armoured security vehicles of 14-seater model for the NDLEA and the contract sum is N580,500,000 only inclusive of 7.5 per cent value added tax with a delivery period of 16 weeks.”

    He continued: “It is common knowledge that recently, the NDLEA has been repositioned and arising from the support both in terms of our capacity building, hardware and associated things, they have been recording an extra-ordinary or unprecedented success. Recently they seized about 1.8 tons of cocaine having a market value of about N194 billion.

    “So, with all these successes recorded, it is only logical that the criminals and their syndicate are now devising means inclusive of attacks on NDLEA personnel and it is with that in mind that the memo was presented for the procurement of such vehicles for the NDLEA and the council approved.”

  • FEC gives nod to NSIP Bill, Emergency Response plan

    FEC gives nod to NSIP Bill, Emergency Response plan

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The Federal Executive Council has given it’s nod to the National Social Investment Programme (Establishment) Bill, 2022 and the Emergency Response Plan

    The Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at its meeting on Wednesday Sept 7,2022 resolved that NSIP should be backed by legislation to ensure its continuity and sustainability.

    The Bill seeks to establish the National Social Investment Programme Agency for the management and implementation of the National Social Investment Prorgrammes. The Bill if enacted will provide the necessary statutory backing for the existing NSIP under the FMHADMSD.

    Speaking to the Council, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq described NSIP as a reliable tool for solving poverty problems in Nigeria.

    “NSIP serves as an enduring legacy of this administration and is necessary to be backed by legislation at this time. Thus, the urgent need for Council to approve the NSIP Bill which seeks to provide statutory backing as conceptualized and established by this Administration.

    “The NSIP is directly and indirectly impacting the lives of poor Nigerians through its four cluster programmes namely: the N-POWER Programme, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) and the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (CCT).”
    According to the minister, these programmes are designed to serve as various forms of social safety nets specifically targeting those at the bottom of the social ladder or those who require some form of support to enable them to become productive members of the society and finally prevent more people from falling below the poverty line.

    The submission is to create the National Social Investment Programme as an agency, in line with Mr President’s agenda to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by the year 2030, she emphasized.

    NSIP will be implemented in full partnership with all the 36 State Governments and the FCT while Council also approved acceptable source of funding for NSIP through a budgetary allocation and 5% of recovered and repatriated funds .

    Also the the Council approved the
    National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for the nation.

    According to Minister, the plan is expected to help build resilience of Nigerian communities to severe flood incidences by providing a common and strategic reference point for flood planning and response for all the tiers of government, response organizations and most vulnerable communities.

    The Plan promotes risk reduction through early warning and early action arrangements and effective use of technology for forecasting and surveillance by mandated organizations. The strategic outcomes of the plan are that the nation is more resilient to future flood events, effective responses to flood events and an improved understanding of the wider impacts of flood on national development, she explained.

    She further noted that when the plan is enacted into law it will ensure that all relevant MDAs understand their roles and responsibilities before, during and after flood incidences, establish clear threshold for flood emergency response arrangements,
    provide clarity on the means of improving resilience and minimizing the impact of flood events and establish short, medium and long-term asset that will provide continuous improvement in flood emergency management in Nigeria.

    The minister also confirmed that the Bills will now be sent to the National Assembly for legislation and passage to law.