FEC approves N658m sniffer dogs for Lagos, Abuja airports

The Federal Executive Council at its weekly meeting on Wednesday presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari approved N658m for sniffer dogs at Lagos and Abuja airports.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this to journalists after the council meeting, adding that it was part of the four N16.69bn projects approved by FEC for the ministry.

He gave details of the projects as the construction of Wachakal Airport in Yobe State at N6.3 billion; post-construction services for the same airport at the cost of N219.8 million.

Others are the procurement of eight airport rescue and firefighting vehicles at the cost of N9.5 billion; and a contract for the deployment of sniffer dogs to the Lagos and Abuja international airports at the cost of N658.8 million.

He said, “FEC approved four memoranda from civil aviation. One of it is the approval for the construction of Wachakal Airport in Yobe State and at the contract sum of N6,284,065,056.

“Even and in our drive to develop the sector and ensure connectivity within our region and also improve on our security architecture and also attend to the various needs of civilization, we found this airport and many others that are coming across the country useful.

“The second was a post-consultancy services for the construction of the same airport, Wachakal Air stripe which is very close to Nguru in Yobe state. So, first consultancy service is given to Kafe Engineering at the sum of N219,782,500 only. This will include seven and a half percent VAT.

“The third memorandum was for the supply and maintenance of eight units of airport rescue and firefighting vehicle including spare parts and training. And this was given to Messers Gulf of Africa International Limited.

“The exclusive representatives of the OEM and the OEMs are Emirate firefighting equipment factory, this is in the sum of N9,535,132,500 even. This also will include seven and a half percent and the delivery period for this procurement is 12 months.

“The last memo that was taken from aviation, it has to do with approval for the award of contract for the deployment of sniffer dogs canine in airports in Lagos and Abuja, we will be continuing with this procurement and other airports as well. So, the total contract sum for this procurement is N658,762,783.36 which includes seven and a half percent VAT.”

At the meeting, the council also approved N537 million for the acquisition of a property to serve as the new headquarters of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the agency had been making use of a rented property.

“NEITI, which is, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, was given an approval to acquire a permanent office building for N537,000,000 to be used as its head office,” he said.