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FEC okays $183.7m for supervision/consultancy of three railway projects
- N115bn for Kano-Jigawa-Katsina road dualisation
The Federal Executive Council has approved $183.7 million for consultancy services for supervision of three railway projects in Nigeria.
Speaking with journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said the council approved $183.7 million for consultancy services for supervision of three railway projects in Nigeria.
According to him, the projects involved are those of Port Harcourt-Maiduguri, Kano-Maradi and Abuja-Warri.
“The Ministry of Transportation presented two memos and the first one has to do with a contract for consultancy services for supervision of the various railway projects.
“You know that we have three or four railway projects that are yet to start and they are Port Harcourt-Maiduguri, Kano-Maradi and then Abuja to Warri.
“Now, for the consultancy services, the following contractors were approved at a total cost of $183.7 million. The contractors are Xi Engineers Infrastructure Excellence/Yaroson and Partnership Limited, Core Consulting Engineering Plc that is for the Abuja-Warri, at the cost of $38.4 million.
“And then for the consultancy services for the supervision of Port Harcourt-Maiduguri, with batch lines to Bonny Deepsea Port and Port Harcourt Industrial Park, and then to Owerri, we have Gary Consults SDBHD/Jabu Global Services Limited at $97.5 million.
“Then, the last one is consultancy services for the supervision of Kano-Katsina-Jibia-Maradi rail line, to Techniques Engineering, Architecture Marketing Nigeria Limited and that is for $47,670 million, all of them for a period of 36 months,” he explained.
He further stated that the council approved a concessioning agreement for Onitsha River Port to be managed for 30 years by Inversal Elysium Consortium.
Meanwhile, FEC has also approved over N115.4 billion for the dualization of the Kano-Kazaure-Kongwalam road linking Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states.
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, made this known when he also briefed Journalists at the end of the weekly Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, the project was expected to be completed in two years, and would be financed through the country’s tax credit scheme.
He said: “The Ministry of Works and Housing presented one memo for the dualization of the Kano-Kazaure-Kongwalam highway, totalling 131.4 kms, from a single carriage way to a dual carriage way.
“So, Council approved that proposal at a cost of N115, 425, 896,907.15 kobo over 48 months.
“The instructive thing is that the financing will be done by the Tax Credit Scheme of Bua International Limited. And they will use Messrs PW Construction Nigeria limited, a company in which they have acquired some interest to undertake the construction’’, Fashola said.
The Minister of State, Health, Adeleke Mamora, also told the correspondents that the council approved the contract for the construction of the corporate headquarters of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
He said: “From the Ministry of Health, the council approved the award of contracts for the construction and consultancy services, for the building of the corporate headquarters of the National Health Insurance Scheme here in Abuja.
“This is because it has become inevitable to expand what is on ground, to improve the operational efficiency of that agency which is the National Health Insurance Scheme and happily, the council considered the memo and approved the same.”.
On her part, the Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, announced that the council approved the country’s policy on waste battery management.
She said: “Today at Council, the Ministry of Environment, through me, presented two FEC memos and one report. The first FEC memo was the Energy Transition Plan for Nigeria.
“This memo was presented as a plan for Nigeria to achieve net zero carbon emission and this will clearly set out the pathway for Nigeria in achieving this.
“The second memo was the Waste Battery Management Policy for Nigeria.
“This policy on waste management will create a lot of jobs in the economy for Nigeria and at the same time protect the health of Nigerians, to ensure that hazardous wastes, like waste batteries, are properly disposed of with regulations, including recycling in Nigeria as well,” she said.
Ikeazor said she also gave a report to the council on the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26), that Nigeria attended and the country’s plans for COP 27 going forward.
News
JUST IN: Tinubu confers national honours on fallen soldiers, approves house, scholarships for families
JUST IN: Tinubu confers national honours on fallen soldiers, approves house, scholarships for families
President Bola Tinubu has conferred posthumous national honours on the four officers and 13 soldiers killed in Okuama, Delta State, on March 14, 2024.
The four officers have been accorded the Award of Member of the Order of Niger (MON) while the 13 courageous soldiers who also lost their lives were awarded the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).
The President said that the Federal Government would provide a house in any part of the country to each of the families of the four officers and 13 soldiers.
He also approved scholarships for all the children of the deceased up to the university level.
The President mandated the Military to, within the next 90 days, ensure that all the benefits of the departed are paid to their families.
Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria spoke on Wednesday at the National Cemetery in Abuja during the burial of the fallen soldiers.
Tinubu stated that Nigeria owes the valiant soldiers and their families debt of gratitude.
The President vowed that those who committed the heinous crime of killing the officers and soldiers would not go unpunished, stressing, “We will find them and our departed heroes will get justice.”
The fallen heroes are as follows:
Lieutenant Colonel Ali
Major D.E Obi
Major S.D. Ashafa
Captain U. Zakari
Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu
Corporal Danbaba Yahaya
Corporal Kabir Bashir
Lance Corporal Abdullahi Ibrahim
Lance Corporal Bulus Haruna
Lance Corporal Sole Opeyemi
Lance Corporal Bello Anas
Private Alhaji Isah
Private Clement Francis
Private Abubakar Ali
Private Adamu Ibrahim
Private Hamman Peter
Private Ibrahim Adamu
Part of Tinubu’s Speech
“It is with heavy heart that I join you today to commit to earth, the remains of our officers and men who died in the course of duty on 14 March 2024 in Okuama Community, Delta State.
“The officers and soldiers who lost their lives that day were patriots, brave and noble men who gave their lives to defend and protect our nation against internal and external threats. Their sacrifice will be remembered and honoured for generations to come and their.
“On 14 March, Lt. Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, led three other officers and 13 soldiers to the Okuama Community to mediate in the lingering dispute with Okoloba Community.
“They went as peace makers and peace keepers respectfully seeking to bring an end to the hostilities between the two communities.
“They didn’t go with tanks, machine guns and other weapons. They were on a mission of peace.
“Before the dastardly attack, Lt. Colonel Ali, as the Chief of Army Staff briefed me, enjoyed great operational exploits; fighting terrorists and insurgents in the North East and North West before his deployment to the Niger Delta.
“Ali kept faith with his military calling till the end.
“On behalf of a grateful nation, we honour the sacrifice of Ali and the other gallant patriots who died that day. They will forever be remembered as heroes who answered the call of duty and paid the ultimate price.
“Each man now belongs to the hallowed list of servicemen and women who defended our country and protected their fellow Nigerians not minding the risk to their own lives.
“They have all been awarded posthumous national honours. The four gallant Officers have been accorded the Award of Member of the Order of Niger (MON). The thirteen courageous soldiers who also lost their lives have been Awarded the Officer of the Federal Republic Medal.
“I commiserate with the families of our fallen heroes and the entire Armed Forces. I share in the pain and grief you carry today. It is my prayer that God will comfort all who are bereaved as a result of this tragedy.”
News
FG declares March 29, April 1 Easter holiday
FG declares March 29, April 1 Easter holiday
The Federal Government has declared Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1, as public holidays to mark Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this in a statement on Wednesday by Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Aishetu Ndayako.
Part of the message read, “Easter, beyond religious significance, promotes values of love, forgiveness, and compassion, which are essential for social cohesion and harmony.
“While wishing Christians at home and abroad a happy and blissful Easter celebration, the minister also called on Nigerians to join hands with President Tinubu-led administration in its determination to bring sustainable development and usher in prosperity for all.”
The minister urged Nigerians to show acts of charity and generosity to help alleviate the material conditions of the less privileged among them.
News
BREAKING: Bodies of 17 officers murdered in Delta arrive Abuja military cemetery
BREAKING: Bodies of 17 officers murdered in Delta arrive Abuja military cemetery
The remains of the military personnel killed in Delta State on March 14, 2024 have arrived the National Military Cemetery, Abuja.
The bodies, which arrived at about 2:26pm on Wednesday, were conveyed by the Military Ambulance Emergency vehicles and was accompanied by the FCT Ambulance Emergency services.
Our correspondent reports that top military echelons from various formations across the country are currently on ground to pay last respect to the fallen heroes.
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Distraught relatives and relations of the deceased personnel as well as wives of other military officers are also on ground. The burial is billed to also have the President, Bola Tinubu in attendance.
Recall the troops of 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State while on peace mission to Okuoma Community were surrounded and killed by some irate youths in the community.
The incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuoma and Okoloba communities both in Delta.
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