FEC okays N15.3bn for census ICT digital devices

Meanwhile the Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved two contracts worth N15.3 billion for the supply and installation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) components as well as digital assistance devices for the 2023 population census.

Addressing State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammmadu Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said that the ICT component contract was awarded for about N10.9 billion.

According to him, “Among those memos that were okayed today was the award of the contract for the supply and installation of information and communication technology (ICT) components for the 2023 population census. This is for the National Population Commission (NPC). It is meant for census. The ICT component contract was awarded for about N10.9 billion.

“Another contract that was approved for the National Population Commission was the contract for the development and implementation of mobile device management solution for the personal digital assistance devices to be used for the 2023 population census. This is in the sum of about N4.4 billion.”

Shehu said council also approved contract for the development of external cost of infrastructure at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) new training academy at N3.3 billion naira.

He added that the sum of one billion naira was equally approved for the contract for the procurement of 19 vehicles for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The presidential spokesman said council okayed N65 million naira for variation in the cost for the supply of airport fire crash tenders in the Ministry of Aviation.

Shehu said council approved policy on HIV/AIDS to protect people living with the disease and new regulations on woodworking ecosystem.

According to him, “We don’t have the Minister of Labour and Employment today. But he got two approvals. One is pertaining to the woodworking ecosystem. Government has revised regulations pertaining to woodworking machinery and the entire ecosystem which dated back to 1959. New regulations have been put in place as empowered by the law. And by this approval, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will domicile and gazette these changes that have been approved.

“His other approval is on policy on HIV/AIDS. Basically, this is to guarantee personal human rights over people with HIV in work places so that they are not discriminated against and they are given equal rights. So, that is what it is about. They are not discriminated against and they are given all that is due to them. And they are respected, especially with regards to their personal and human rights.”

Also, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, said the council approved a new bill to go to the National Assembly to replace the old law guiding mining in Nigeria.

“The law we are operating on now is 2007 Nigeria Mineral and Mining Law and 2007 to date is 16 years. It has become obsolete. A lot of new things have come up in mining. There’s a renewed focus and everyone is coming there and as expressed today, it’s a new frontier for economic growth in Nigeria. So we need to update the law to in line modern realities and the laws with some amendments. The bill, the proposed Act was passed in the Chamber’s with some amendments.

“So the Attorney General will be sending the bill, which is the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2023. That’s the proposed acts, the Attorney General will be send it to the National Assembly, which we intend to follow up. The members of National Assembly are fully with us on this and are part of the process. They promised us a speedy process, so that this bill can pass and Mr. President can accent to it before we leave office in May thank you.

On his part, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola said his ministry presented three memoranda to Council.

“The first was for the digitization of the processes and workflow and systems of the Ministry of Works and Housing. Essentially, to convert all our paper record, files, our memorandums into digital format and move to a paperless office, if you like, through a web-based application.

“So that memorandum was considered and approved by Council, it was for the sum of N916,813,356, in favour of a company called Digital Communications Consult. The implementation is 12 months.

“The second is to augment the contract price of an existing contract. That contract is a contract for the construction of the Kaduna Eastern Bypass, that’s a very critical road that connects Kaduna with about 11 other states in the country.

“The contract has been long going, awarded since 2002, largely unfunded, we resuscitated it back to life through our Sukuk Project, it’s 48 kilometres, about twenty-something kilometres has been completed, but the rates at which the contract was awarded has become obsolete because of inflation and so the contractor sought and Council has considered and approved an augmentation to increase the contract size from N38 billion to N74.649 billion. So that’s an augmentation of N36.459 billion.

“The third contract that was approved was under the Tax Credit Programme, covered by Executive Order 7, which was issued by Mr. President on the 25th of January, I believe 2019. Yes, that Executive Order 7 invites and allows private sector members of our community in Nigeria to invest in public infrastructure, especially roads, by spending their taxes in advance and then claiming the tax credit later.

READ ALSO: Cashapp founder, Bob Lee stabbed to d**th at the age..

“In this case, we approved four roads, all of them in Kwara State. The total is a distance of 283.938 kilometres, that’s the total length of the four roads. The approval was for Messrs BUA International Limited, BUA is a company famous for cement, but they also do other things. One of the reasons why they are investing in Kwara is because some of their operations, including sugar and all of that is impacted by road network supply.

“So the roads involved are Bode Sa’adu-Kaiama-Kosubu Road, 130 kilometres, awarded at N152.843 billion. Lafiagi-Shonga-Bacita Road, 74.3 kilometres, awarded at N80.222 billion; and Eiyenkorin-Afon-OjokuOffa Road, 42.638 kilometres, awarded at N56.329 billion; and Okuta-Kenu-Tebe Road, 37 kilometres, awarded N37.887 billion naira.”