The Federal Executive Council of Nigeria, after its weekly meeting which was headed by the Vice President of the Country, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, approved the sum of N1.535 trillion for constructing and rehabilitating of about 11 roads across the country, under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Tax Credit Scheme. Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Works and Housing, after disclosing this news at the State House in Abuja after the FEC meeting, noted that the allocated fund would be utilized in rehabilitating major roads which totaled over 700 kilometers. He also stated that upon completion of this project, 11 states within the country would be linked.
Upon revealing some of be benefiting states, the Minister revealed that the council had earlier approved NNPC’s memo to invest about N1.9 trillion on road rehabilitations. The idea at that period was scheduled for about 44 roads which were already awarded and the remainder of roads which had to go through a process of procurement between that period and now, was the 11 roads which had just been approved by the federal executive council.
Memo submitted on behalf of FERMA to rehabilitate 5 roads also approved.
According to reports, other road contracts were also approved along with the memo which was put forward during the meeting by the Ministry of Works and Housing. Some of the approved contracts included the cost of augmentation for the Ogun Shagamu road project. Fashola, whilst expounding on the projects, noted that the ministry presented four memos to the FEC, all of which were approved. He also explained that another memo was submitted on behalf of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), as to the rehabilitation of 5 different roads.
Babatunde Fashola, whilst indicating the third memorandum, noted that it was tilted towards augmenting the Potiskum to Damaturu section four of the Kano-Maiduguri highway which was approximately 600kms. He said that Shuware to Azare and Azare to Potiskum would open to traffic and with the Potiskum part almost completed, the augmentation was majorly to cover cost materials , as well as making provisions for lane marking for the road to be handed over fully. This, he said was the third contract approved by the FEC meeting.
FEC approves citizenship of about 385 foreign nationals.
Asked about the essence of this huge project with the Buhari administration coming to an end, Fashola noted that even Nigerians would prefer a quick completion of these projects before it affects job creation. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola also disclosed that FEC had approved the Nigerian citizenship of about 385 foreign individuals who were now residing in the country. He added that 317 of these individuals were granted citizenship by naturalization and the other 68, granted through registration. He indicated that all the foreign nationals had met the requirements needed for such an honor.
The Interior Minister again revealed that a special fire detection and alarm systems had been approved and as such, would be installed across all the firefighting stations in the country. This, he said, will be at no cost to the government and would be digitized, to enhance fast responses from the emergency service. Upon the approval of E-Custom Modernization project, in spite of the court order, Clem Agba, the Minister of State Budget and National Planning, claimed that he was ignorant about the court order.
High Court stops FG from enforcing the E-Customs project.
Back in June 2022, the Federal High Court had stopped the Federal Government from enforcing the Customs Modernization Project. However, the plaintiff complained that the Minister of Finance and AGF, despite the court’s order, were presenting a new memo to FEC. Also, the aggravated companies, together, challenged the unlawful and fraudulent practices. Justice Ekwo, while ruling on the ex parte application, granted the plaintiffs’ request due to them placing significant evidences of interest in the concession project.
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