The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved a total of N23.52 billion for various projects across the ministries of Petroleum Resources, Power and Police Affairs.
The respective ministers disclosed this to State House Correspondents shortly after the over three-hour FEC meeting presided over by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former Presidential aspirant of the APC, Timipre Sylva, the council approved N3.81bn for a switch-gear room for the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park in Bayelsa State for the local manufacture of components.
The PUNCH reports that, in February 2022, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Simbi Wabote, said the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Sylva also revealed that the Council approved N11bn for the construction of access roads and bridges to Brass local government area of Bayelsa State.
He also noted that consultations have begun for the Nigeria National Petroleum Company to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Economic Community of West African States to construct the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline.
The Pipeline would be the world’s longest offshore pipeline and second-largest pipeline in the world carrying gas from Nigeria to Morocco and running through at least 11 West African countries, to Spain in Europe.
On his part, the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, said the Council approved a total of N8.32bn for several projects in the Ministry.
They include the procurement of 82 Toyota Operational Vehicles for the Police Trust Fund at N2.2bn, customised police raincoats for N1.9bn, customised boots for N576m, micro kits at N10bn, curricular materials for police colleges at N664m and medical equipment for police health facilities for N2bn.
The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, said the Council approved $968,818 (N402,204,792.70) and N7,393,000 for (the offshore and onshore components, respectively) for the supply and installation of 330kva and 132kva transmission line for ongoing rehabilitation works in Lagos.
He added that the council approved a variation on a subsisting contract for a substation in Katsina and a line base in Kumbotso in Kano.
The variation sum, he said, is only on the onshore component of the contract due to the rise in prices of construction materials.
“The onshore which was N939,410,664 has now moved to N1,938,737,307.12. And the Council graciously approved,” Aliyu said.
The meeting which started at 10:00 am had physically present, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu; FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; returning Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige; Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo; Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunimbe Mamora; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Farouq; Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi; Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu; returning Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Talen; Minister of Power Abubakar Aliyu; returning Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; Minister of State for Works and Housing, Muazu Sambo. Other Ministers attended virtually.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; returning Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare; and the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora and the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd.), were not in the meeting as they are part of the President’s delegation to Spain.
Copyright PUNCH.
