FEC Approves N17.4bn for Communication Infrastructure

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N660.422 million for the procurement of operational vehicles for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The contract awarded to Innoson Motors is for the supply of 20 pick-ups and one City Bus.

This was made known yesterday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, while speaking with newsmen at the end of the council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja.

He said N17.4 billion was approved for the provision of Broadband infrastructure for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and tertiary and higher learning institutions across the six geo-political zones with the supply of IT Communications Equipment and furniture for Communication Centres in the nation’s six geo-political zones by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

The minister added that N3.992 billion was also approved by the Council for the augmentation of road projects in Kwara and Niger states.

Mohammed also disclosed that the Council ratified the International Labour Organisation Migrant Workers Supplementary Provision and approved the Draft National Policy on Welding.

He briefed reporters on the memoranda presented by different ministers, saying: “The first was a memo for them procurement of vehicles for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and that contract was in favour of Messrs Innoson Manufacturing Company at the total sum of N660,422,220 and it’s made up of 20 pick-up vehicles and 1 City Bus and it’s in the spirit of encouraging our local industries that the contract was awarded to Innosons Motors.

“The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy presented a memo which was approved for the provision of broadband infrastructure for micro-small medium enterprises and also tertiary and higher learning institutions across the six geo-political zones.

“The administration is passionate about deepening the broad band infrastructure and that contract was awarded to various companies for N16, 709, 853,000.

“There is another memo for the Minister of Communications seeking approval for the supply, installations and upgrading for new set of new IT communications equipment and furniture for emergency communication centres all over the country and that was awarded for the sum of N668 million.

“There was also the ratification of international Labour Organisation Migrant Workers Supplementary Provision with Nigeria ratifying the 1975 Convention. That was the memo from the Minister of Labour and Employment.

“There is also the memo from the Minister of Science and Technology for the approval of the Draft National Policy on Welding. This is again to ensure that small and medium scale industries get necessary skilled labour.

“As it is today, most of our welders come from the neighbouring countries and that is the national policy to bridge that gap.

“There is a memo presented by the Minister of works and Housing seeking for the approval of revised estimated total cost of contract for the construction of Patigi-Ada Road in Kwara state and the contractor is for augmentation to the total sum of N1.192 billion which will jerk the original contract from N4.3 billion to N5.5 billion.

“There was an approval for revised estimated total cost of contract for the rehabilitation of Kotangora-Rijau-Tunganmagajiya road section 2, phase 1 in Niger state. Here the contractor was seeking for revised cost in the sum of N2.8 billion taking the total contract sim to N6.5 billion.”