Before the population and housing census on May 3–5, the Federal Government approved on Wednesday two contracts worth a total of N15.3 billion for the delivery and installation of ICT components and digital assistance devices. The census will be held on May 3–5.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, revealed this to State House Correspondents right after this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The contract for the procurement and installation of information and communication technology components for the 2023 census was among the memos that were approved today, according to Shehu.
“A contract for the ICT component was granted for roughly N10.9 billion, and another contract that was authorised for the National Population Commission was one for the creation and use of a mobile device management solution for the staff’s digital assistance devices to be utilised for the 2023 census of the people. This amounts to around N4.4 billion.
The council approved a contract for the construction of external costs of infrastructure at the new Economic and Financial Crimes Commission training institution for the amount of N3.3 billion, the presidential spokesman further disclosed.
A contract for N1 billion to buy 19 cars for the Nigerian Ports Authority was also approved.
This came after the Ministry of Aviation approved an N65 million cost adjustment on a contract for the delivery of airport firefighting crash tenders.
Shehu also disclosed that the FG had adopted new rules to safeguard people with HIV/AIDS from discrimination at work.
The minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, reported that three memoranda were accepted by the council, including one for the digitisation of procedures and workflow, which was granted for N916.8 with a 12-month implementation term.
The road was first given to Kaduna in 2002, when Obasanjo was president, and connects Kaduna to about 11 other states, many politicians thought it was long overdue.
He said that the permission would make sure that all paper files and notes were turned into digital files.
Fashola also said that the Council had changed a contract for the construction of the Kaduna Eastern Bypass to add an extra N36 billion.
“The contract has been long-going, awarded since 2002, and largely unfunded. We resuscitated it to life through our Sukuk Project; it’s 48 kilometres, over 20 kilometres have been completed, but the rates at which the contract was awarded have become obsolete because of inflation, and so, the contractor sought and council considered and approved an augmentation to increase the contract size from N38bn to N74.65bn, so that’s an augmentation of N36.46 billion.
Fashola added that four roads would be built in Kwara State under the Tax Credit Scheme that Buhari approved through Executive Order Seven in January 2019.
Among these is the 130 km Bode Sa’adu-Kaiama-Kosubu Road, valued at N152.84 billion. The road from Lafiagi to Shonga to Bacita, 74.30 km, awarded for N80.22 bn. Okuta-Kenu-Tebe Road, 38 km, given N37.89 billion, and Eiyenkorin-Afon-OjokuOffa Road, 42.64 km, awarded N56.33 billion.
The four highways total 283.94 kilometres in length, and BUA International Ltd will pay for them with N327.28 billion.
According to Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, the Nigerian Customs Service has been given permission to build a number of apartments at its new barracks location in Aviation Village, Abuja, for N17 billion.
“Today the Federal Executive Council approved the construction of 32 blocks of eight apartments, each with two bedrooms, and 15 blocks of six apartments, each with three Limited Bedrooms, for the Nigerian Customs Service at Aviation Village Phase 2 in Abuja.
“MSSRS AMSCO is building the apartments in Abuja’s Aviation Village. The contract has a N5.55 billion price tag and an 81-week delivery schedule.
“The second half of it is the building of 32 blocks, each with six two-bedroom apartments and a religious centre, at the barracks for the customs service, which is also located at aircraft village. And this was handed to MSSRS WARAMS Limited for N12.84 billion with a 144-week delivery timeframe, she said.
She further disclosed that N16.13 billion had been granted for the acquisition of 210 residential units at Plot 413 Aviation Village, Abuja, for the customs service in support of MESSRS Abdulwahab Memorial Nigeria Ltd.
Ahmed further disclosed that the Council has authorised the purchase of 192 cars for the Nigerian Customs Service’s operational and administrative needs.
These include ambulances and Toyota Prado, Corolla, Camry, and Land Cruiser cars. They will be delivered in four weeks and cost N9.65 billion, which includes 7.5% VAT.
