Clement Agba, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, revealed this on Wednesday, April 19, to State House reporters in Abuja.

The Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning “presented a few memos for which approvals were obtained,” he claims.

The nation’s Customs Service has been given permission to spend N3.4 billion on an aircraft by the federal government.

Clement Agba, a minister of state for budget and national planning, revealed this on Wednesday, April 19, to State House reporters in Abuja.

The Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning “presented a few memos for which approvals were obtained,” he claims.

The first one involved the Nigerian Customs awarding a contract for the purchase of a Cessna Caravan aircraft for N3,447,442,710 inclusive of 7.5% VAT with a 12-month delivery timeframe.

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, made the announcement while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the council’s meeting, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja.

The Minister expressed hope that the road’s completion would contribute to the bridge’s opening on May 29.

“The Minister of Works presented a memo seeking approval for the award of contract for the construction of an access road from the existing Benin-Asaba expressway to approach the link road to Second Niger Bridge in Delta State.

“As you are aware, the government is determined to inaugurate the Second Niger Bridge before the expiration of this administration.

“We can tell you that the bridge itself is substantially concluded, but the contract that was awarded today, although the work has started before now, is actually to connect the Asaba-Benin end to the new bridge.
“The contract was awarded to Julius Berge at a sum of N15 billion. They have started the work but they said it is only proper that they have a contract.

“We can assure you that the road will be finished in good time for us to inaugurate the Second Niger Bridge,” he said.
Mohammed also said the council has approved N16 billion as a variation for the dualisation of the Suleja-Minna road in Niger State.

Power Minister Abubakar Aliyu, who also addressed the correspondents, said the council approved €3.7 million as a contract variation for the Transition Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The minister said the amount was meant for the procurement of some equipment and to complete the construction of two sub-stations that would help boost the electricity supply in the country.

He said: “Today, I presented a memo on behalf of the Transition Company of Nigeria to the council and it approved the variation. “This was due to the escalation of prices for the supply of equipment and the construction of 132 33KV substations at Nnewi and 132 KV line bay extension at Onitsha, both in Anambra State.

“The approved amount for the variation is 3.7 million Euros plus N1.137 billion inclusive of 7.5 percent Value Added Tax, with a completion period of 18 months.”

This information was made public by Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, on Wednesday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC), which was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

At the meeting, the Council approved two other memos: the National Child Online Protection Policy and Strategy and the Nigerian Data Protection Bill.

The National Duct One Policy, according to Pantami, attempts to formalize the provision of ducts during construction at the federal, state, and local council levels.

He asserts that the provision of ducts for the construction of roads, bridges, rail lines, sea ports, and any significant building should be made prior to construction, even at the conceptual design stage.

He bemoaned the issue, saying: “We are currently faced with a challenge that whenever we seek to build telecommunications infrastructure, a lot of damage is being done in several cities and towns in Nigeria, either to our roads or to our facilities.

Why? because no duct or conduit was provided during design or construction where the fiber might be placed. It is because of this that we organized stakeholder engagement, where we brought all the stakeholders, including the Ministry of Works and Housing, and we all

He said further: “There are so many benefits to be attained from that. Number one, it allows shared infrastructure. Secondly, it makes maintenance and repairs much easier.

“If that is part of the design and construction, during maintenance, you don’t need to damage any roads or important buildings. That provision is sufficient, and you will have a chamber where you will have access to all the facilities. It is because of this, we came up with this policy, and in addition to that, it will also continue to make the price of broadband cheaper.”

Abubakar Aliyu, the Minister of Power, informed State House Correspondents of this at the conclusion of the council meeting on Wednesday, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: “Today, I approached the Council to seek approval of revised estimates of total costs for the updated rates of building structures for compensation and resettlement of the communities affected by the construction of the 700 megawatts Zungeru Hydroelectric power project in the total ​​sum of N2,740,000,000, which will revise the subsisting amount from N19,640,000,000 to N22,380,000,000, and the council graciously approved the request.”

Shedding more light on the recent drop in the level of power generation in the country, the Minister said the major problem was that of gas.

“Regarding the drop in electricity, yes, you know, the supplier has so many players; gas, the cost that drops, issues of gas to some power plants; they cannot switch on their plant, you will experience some drop once they switch on and the electricity will increase.”

“There may be a drop due to the fault of the generator and the electricity would drop. It’s mostly generation. I’ve been watching since like yesterday evening, we had a generation of over 4000, around 4600 megawatts.

“And you know, we told you since 1st July, that we’ll be able to raise it up to 5,000 when we activate the contract. And we have not been able to do so, due to some issues around gas contracts, gas to power, which we are trying to take care of. And we have gone very far with that, and I believe, it is for that reason that we’re able to reach up to 4,600 as of yesterday.

“This morning, it dropped to 4,100. So, this is what is happening, you will be experiencing this fluctuation due to all these issues around gas to power because gas is not something that we control directly, you have to pay them, and they will not give you gas until you pay. So, we are looking at ways to solve that issue”, he explained.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, has disclosed that the approval to develop the Badagry Seaport has been obtained by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osibajo, and the ministers under the administration held their monthly FEC meeting on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, to discuss projects relating to the country’s development.

After the meeting, Sambo stated that the Federal Executive Council approved $2.59 billion for the development of the Badagry Seaport, which will compete against that of Cotonou, Benin Republic, upon completion.

He said “I’m pleased to announce to you and the general public that I presented a memo today at council concerning the development of the Badagry Deep Seaport under the public-private partnership arrangement.

“Where the private sector will inject money for the development of the port and at the end of the concessionary period, the port reverts to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

“The project cost as contained and approved in council based on the final business case approved by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) in line with extant laws stood at $2.59 billion.

“It has to be developed in four phases with milestones and the concessional period of 45 years. Reversion is, like I said, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“This is to further the government’s goal of making Nigeria the maritime hub of the West and Central Africa sub-region. This project may interest you to know that it will also generate total revenue of over $53.6 billion over the concession period.

“It will create about one quarter million jobs and also attract foreign direct investments to the country and help in improving Nigeria’s economy in general and the wellbeing of Nigerians.

The Federal Executive Council approved the sum of N452.72M for the supply. The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, said the onshore component of the contract was N7.393m.

He said: “The top item is a variation on a subsisting contract of a sub-station in Katsina and nine…in Kano and the variation sum is only on the onshore component of the contract which has an offshore and onshore component as usual with electricity contracts.

“So, it’s only affecting the onshore component due to an escalation of construction materials within. And the sum is N445,326,643.12 and the subsisting contract amount as I told you the offshore is not affected.

The onshore which was N939,410,664 has now moved to N1,938,737,307.12 and the Council graciously approved.”