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FEC Earmarks N718M to secure Abuja Rail Transit Track Against Vandals
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has disclosed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has earmarked the sum of N718,194,250 million through approved contract to secure Abuja Rail Mass Transit phase 1 (Lots 3 and 1A against vandalism.
Bello made this known after the FEC meeting held on Wednesday, 24th August 2022, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He explained that the contract was awarded to two security service providers namely Messrs Al-Ahli Security Guards Ltd, at the cost of N407, 214, 000 million, covering a distance of 27.245 kilometers comprising eight rail stations and Messrs Segad Security Protective Company Ltd, at the cost of N310, 979, 250 million, covering a distance of 18 kilometers, comprising four stations.
According to the minister the scope of the contract, which is within a period of two years, includes protection of the rail tracks, Communication and Control Centre infrastructure as well as electrical and signaling equipment.

Also the Acting Secretary, Transportation Secretariat, Usman Musa Yahaya who gave more details on the contract explained that the provision of emergency security services to the rail tracks became imperative following vandalization of portions of the track.
Yahaya recalled that following the commissioning the Abuja Rail Mass Transit operation in June, 2018, provision of rail services continued till the nation-wide lock down, which was occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that within that period vandals took advantage of the lock down and vandalized some of the rail facilities.
He noted that the approval of th a very good one for the FCT because it will go a long way in securing the rail track.
August 26, 2022
FEC approves contract for construction of 33/11 KV Electricity substation for Life Camp, Jabi, Gwarinpa, others
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The FCT, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, has approved the upward review of contract for the construction of 33/11KV injection substation to improve power supply for Life Camp, Gwarinpa 1 Districts.
The approval was granted following a Council presentation to this effect, by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello on Wednesday, 22nd June 2022.
The upward review will increase the substation’s electricity capacity from 2x15MVA to 3x15MVA and cater for the current and future power load requirements for Life Camp and environs.

Executive  Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmed said that the project became necessary owing to rising population growth, increased economic activities in the District, overlap in construction period, as well as changes in foreign currency exchange rates, amongst others.

Explaining the necessity for the project, Engr. Ahmad said, “There is supposed to be provided an injection substation, and in some cases, two substations for every District. In this case, Gwarinpa 1 District, which houses Life Camp has been on a temporary supply extended from another District, particularly Jabi District.”

“This is because we have not developed the injection substation for Gwarinpa 1 District. So this contract provides for three number of 15KVA heavy duty transformers. Two will be working at any given time, while one will be on standby.”

According to him, Life Camp gets  its power supply from Jabi District, but this will be discontinued following the completion of the project and  will ultimately improve power supply in Jabi.

He noted that on completion, the injection substation   will also cater for the electricity needs of the entire Life Camp and Gwarinpa 1 District.

The contract which was awarded to Messrs Wireteks International Ltd at the sum of N1,640,406,462.26 has a completion period of 15 months.
June 26, 2022
FEC okays N1,64bn Variation Cost for Power Substations in FCT
The Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, approved a variation cost of N1,640,406,426.26 to effect construction of three 15MVA injection substations.
As explained by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on behalf of the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello, land tussle and exchange rate adversely affected the contract which was awarded in the past.
He said following the presentation of the memo by the minister, FEC magnanimously approved the sum of N1,640,406,426.26, revising the original contract sum by about N1,113,406,426.
The Ministry of Works and Housing under the purview of Babatunde Fashola also got an approval for the revised estimated total cost of the award of contract for the rehabilitation of the Yola-Hong-Mubi Road in Adamawa State.
The revised contract sum was for N29,826,449,000 billion, shoring up the initial contract from the original N21,841,578,000 to N51,668,027,000.
Lai said, “I’m standing in for the Honorable Ministers of FCT and Works and Housing. The Minister of the FCT brought his memo, seeking for approval of the upward review of a contract for the construction of two number 15MVA to three by 15MVA, that’s three by 11KVA injection substations at Live Camp in Abuja.
“In 2015, Council approved a contract to supply two numbers 15 MVA by 33/11 KVA injection substations to improve the power supply in Gwarimpa. Regrettably, for more than two years, the contractors could not access the site due to ownership tussle on the land, by the time they were able to access the site, prices went up, dollar appreciated and this is why they had to come back.
“They came back in 2018 and they’re coming back today to say that given the population of Gwarimpa, they need not two, but actually three MVA injection substations, and that contract was approved today for the sum of N1,640,406,426.26, revising the contract sum by about N1,113,406,426. originally it was at N527 million.
“The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing also wrote two memos, the two of them were approved. The first is the memo by the Minister seeking Council’s approval for the revised estimated total cost of the award of contract for the rehabilitation of the Yola-Hong-Mubi Road in Adamawa State, for the sum of N29,826,449,000 billion, thereby revising the initial contract from the original N21,841,578,000 to N51,668,027,000.
“The contract was awarded to Messrs. EC Construction Limited and it has an additional 24 months for completion.
“The last memo by the Honorable Minister of Works and Housing was seeking council’s approval for the reimbursement of the funds recommended for refund for Yobe State Government.
“You will recall that when the administration came on board, many states made the demands that under the previous administrations, they undertook construction of roads and bridges, which were supposed to be federal government roads and bridges and they asked federal government to reimburse them, upon which the federal government set up an inter-ministerial committee, made up of ministries of Works and Housing, Transport, Education and they came up with recommendations.
“Well, it’s true that we’re just reporting this particular memo, which is the refund being sought by the Yobe State government. The state government is asking for the sum of N18,663,843,109 as reimbursement for five federal roads, which they rehabilitated or constructed”.
June 22, 2022
Osinbajo Presides Over FEC In Buhari’s Absence
Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo has presided over the Federal Executive Council meeting at the council chambers of the statehouse in Abuja.
Professor Osinbajo is presiding over the weekly in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The meeting started at 10 am with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha, the chief of staff to the President professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu, Minister Mohammed Bello, The Minister of Finance Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire.
Others are the Minister of Labour Chris Ngige, Minister of State for Labour Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Health Dr Olorunimbe Mamora, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Police Affairs Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Talen, Minister of Power Abubakar Aliyu, Minister of State for Petroleum Timipre Sylva, Minister of State Work and Housing Muazu Sambo.
June 1, 2022
FEC Observes One Minute Silence For Abuja-Kaduna Train Victims
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday observed a minute silence for the victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
The meeting which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari started at 10am with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha calling for a minute silence.
He said the attack led to the death of eight persons and over 46 people were injured with many other kidnapped.
About 8 persons were killed and many injured and kidnapped in the attack
The incident happened around on Monday night at Dutse village in Chikun Local Government Area, just a few kilometres from the Rigasa train station, which is the last transit point of the train.
The bandits were said to have opened fire, shot sporadically on the train, and later gained access into the train.
Those in attendance at the FEC meeting are the Vice-President professor Yemi Osinbajo, the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, National Security Adviser, Maj Gen, Babagana Monguno (retd), and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan.
Other cabinet members physically attending the meeting are Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed, and Justice, Abubakar Malami, Health, Dr. Ehanire Osagie, Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Faroq.
Others are Minister of Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo, Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar while other ministers are attending virtually from their various offices.
March 30, 2022
FEC Approves N92.12bn For Second Abuja Airport Runway Project
The Federal Executive Council has approved the sum of N92.12billion for the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The approval by the council comes a day after President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated a new terminal building at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, disclosed the approval of the fund on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the virtual council meeting presided over by President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in the nation’s capital.
According to him, the approved fund will be spread over a number of works to be carried out at the airport within a period of 12 months.
Asked how the government intends to raise the fund for the project, the minister explained that the administration would use the same pattern it had used to raise the money for other projects across sectors to achieve the current mandate.
The approval is a follow-up of President Buhari’s directive to the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, to source special funding for the second runway of the airport.
He had also directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Bello, to conclude the documentation of the approved 12,000 hectares of land to accommodate the runway and other developmental projects.
At the event in Lagos on Tuesday, the President asked the aviation minister to fast-track the airport concession programme, to boost aviation practice in the country and make the aviation industry reflect global standards.
In his view, the completion and delivery of five brand new international airport terminals since 2015, which were at 11 per cent completion level then, align perfectly with the aviation roadmap developed in 2016 for the purposes of establishing critical infrastructure, including a national carrier as well as maintenance, repairs and overhaul centre, and improved airports terminals through concession.
March 23, 2022
Buhari Chairs FEC Meeting, Swears In New INEC National Commissioners
President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in six new national commissioners for the Independent National and Electoral Commission (INEC).
The INEC national commissioners are Mohammed Haruna from Niger State, Mary Agbamuche-Mbu from Delta State, and Ukaegbu Nnamdi from Abia State.
Others include Major General AB Alkali (Rtd) from Adamawa State, Professor Rhoda Gumus from Bayelsa State, and Mr Sam Olumekun from Ondo State.
The President swore in the national commissioners on Wednesday while presiding over the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja.
Physically in attendance were the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, and Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.
Ministers in attendance included Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment), Festus Keyamo (Labour and Employment – State), Ogbonnaya Onu (Science and Technology), Mohammed Abdullahi (Science and Technology – State), Rotimi Amaechi (Transport), and Lai Mohammed (Information and Culture).
Also present were Olamilekan Adegbite (Mines and Steel Development), Uche Ogar (Mines and Steel Development – State), Abubakar Aliyu (Power), Jeddy Agba (Power – State), Jeddy Agba, Babatunde Fashola (Works and Housing), and Clem Agba (Finance, Budget, and National Planning – State).
The Head of Service, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, and other members of the President’s cabinet attended the meeting virtually from their various offices in the nation’s capital.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, led the electoral umpire’s national commissioners to the Aso Villa for the inauguration ceremony.
February 23, 2022
FEC Approves $2.8bn For Railway Equipment
The federal executive council (FEC) has approved $2.81 billion for the procurement of rolling stocks and maintenance equipment for rail lines.
The equipment is for the Ibadan to Kano and Port Harcourt to Maiduguri rail lines.
Rolling stock is a generic term used to denote anything on rail wheels.
Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, announced this to state house correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday.
He said the rolling stock would ensure that the trains, coaches and locomotives are adequately maintained.
“I have an approval of the cabinet to procure rolling stocks, operational and maintenance equipment for the new railway projects corridors in Ibadan to Kano standard gauge and Port Harcourt to Maiduguri narrow gauge rail lines to the tune of $2,810,574,064.92, including 7.5 per cent tax,” he said.
“Rolling stocks are consumables for the maintenance and operation of the railway.
“So, currently, anytime you hear of break down, which was discussed in the cabinet, it’s because maybe we have run out of rolling stock and we’ve also run out of stock for the railway.
“So, with this, we will replace all the rolling stock. They are essentially the consumables we use to maintain the trains, coaches and locomotives.”
Last year, FEC had approved $11.17 billion for the Lagos-Calabar coastal rail project to link all coastal cities in the country by rail in six years.
February 16, 2022
FEC Receives N3trn As Fuel Subsidy for 2022 from NNPC
The federal executive council (FEC) says it has received a bill of N3 trillion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as payment for petrol subsidy in 2022.
This is coming after the federal government proposed an 18-month extension for the implementation of the petroleum industry law to cater for subsidy shortfall.
Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, told state house correspondents on Wednesday at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Daybreak had reported that petrol subsidy payments gulped N1.43 trillion in 2021.
According to Ahmed, a request was presented to provide additional funding to meet the incremental petrol subsidy request in the 2022 budget.
She said this is because the sum of N443 billion was presently allocated for fuel subsidy in 2022 from January till June.
She added that with the realities on the ground, including the present hardship faced by Nigerians and the lack of structures to support subsidy removal, the NNPC made a request for N3 trillion .
“What this means is that we have to make incremental provision of N2.557 trillion to be able to meet subsidy requirement which is averaging about N270 billion per month,” she said.
According to her, the subsidy payment for 2022 is estimated at N270 billion per month due to soaring oil prices.
“We also presented to Council today a request for Council’s consideration to make additional funding provisions to enable us to meet incremental fuel subsidy request in the 2022 Budget,” she said.
“You’ll recall that in the 2022 Budget, as appropriated, we have made a provision of N443 billion for a subsidy for January to June.
“Having taken into account the current realities; increased hardship in the population, heightened inflation, and also that the measures that needed to be taken to enable a smoother exit from the fuel subsidy are not yet in place, it was agreed by Council that it is desirable to exit fuel subsidy.
“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has presented to the ministry a request for N3 trillion as fuel subsidy for 2022. What this means is that we have to make an incremental provision of N2.557 trillion to be able to meet the subsidy requirement, which is averaging about N270 billion per month.
“In 2021, the actual under-recovery that has been charged to the Federation was N1.2 trillion, which means an average of N100 billion, but in 2022, because of the increased crude oil price per barrel in the global market, now at $80 per barrel, and also because an NNPC’s assessment is that the country is consuming 65.7 million litres per day, now we’ll end up with the incremental cost of N3 trillion in 2022.
“So, this has been considered by Council and we’ve also been asked to approach the National Assembly for an amendment to the fiscal framework as well as the Budget, to also further discuss with NNPC on how to make provisions for this and also how to rationalize this expenditure.
“The PIA had required that all petroleum products should be deregulated within six months of signing the PIB into law. And the six months would have meant from August to February.
“But when we were doing the budget we stretched that to June. So it means technically that from September, there will be a new fuel subsidy.
“But having to step back and take into account the realities of today, what it means is we have to go back and amend the PIA, so the ministry of petroleum resources will be leading on that. “They had indicated that they will be asking for an amendment to extend it to 18 months from six months. And then it means we can now also amend the budget. So the two processes will go side by side.
“In the case of the budget, we’re looking at extending to December in the first instance, because this budget year is January to December and we’re going to engage NNPC to further interrogate the request that they presented with a view of trying to see how we can scale it down so that the country is not incurring N3 trillion for a fuel subsidy.”
January 27, 2022
FEC Approves 20% Salary Increase For Police Personnel
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the review and upgrade of salaries of police personnel by 20 per cent.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, said this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting which was chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the newly renovated council chambers.
According to the minister, the review exercise is expected to take effect from January 2022.
Dingyadi further stated that the review is in response to the demands made by EndSARS protesters in 2020, involving primarily improved welfare for police officers.
He said the take home pay will be enhanced through the duty tour allowance to 6 per cent of their new take home pay and an approval of N1.12 billion for payment of outstanding uninsured benefits for the period of 2013 to 2020.
President Buhari had promised that the salaries will be upgraded commensurate to service rendered to further maintain peace in the country.
FEC also approved the release of N13.1 billion for payment of outstanding death benefits of 5,472 personnel for the uninsured period of 2013 to August 2021.
In addition, the council approved a tax waiver in the sum of N18.6 billion for junior officers of the police to increase the take home pay effective from October 2021.
Minister of Finance Zainab Ahmed, however, disclosed that the new salary structure has not been provided for in the 2022 budget and her ministry will await the outcome of the verification of the various computations from the auditor-general.
According to her, the outcome will first require the executive to pass a supplementary budget to parliament.
December 15, 2021