The Federal Executive Council has approved the sum of N17.4 billion 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.
This is as it approved N3.992 billion for the augmentation of road projects in Kwara and Niger states.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who briefed State House correspondents, at the end of the council meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, added that N660.422 million was also approved for the procurement of operational vehicles for the Federal Road Safety Corps.
Speaking on the memorandum presented by different ministers, Mohammed said “The first was a memo for the procurement of vehicles for the Federal Road Safety Corps and that contract was in favour of Messrs Innoson Manufacturing Company at the total sum of N660,422,220 and it is made up of 20 pick-up vehicles and one City Bus and it is 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 broadband 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 upgrades for a 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 the 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 a 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 the 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 the approval of the revised estimated total cost of the 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 a revised estimated total cost of the contract for the rehabilitation of Kontagora-Rijau-Tunganmagajiya road section 2, phase 1 in Niger state. Here, the contractor was seeking a revised cost in the sum of N2.8 billion taking the total contract sim to N6.5 billion.”
