FG earmarks N658.8m for deployment of dogs to Lagos, Abuja airports

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, approved the sum of N21,107, 212,510billion for various projects in aviation, education ministries, and other sectors. The government also earmarked N658.8m for deployment of dogs to Lagos, Abuja airports just as it voted N985million for installation of body scanners for four international airports.

Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, alongside Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina and Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, disclosed this to journalists at the end of the meeting.

Sirika said Council approved four memoranda for his ministry, the total cost of which amounted to N16,697, 742,839 billion.

According to him, the projects to be executed in the contracts include the construction of Wachakal Airport in Yobe State at N6.3 billion; post construction services for the same airport at the cost of N219. 8million; procurement of eight airport rescue and firefighting vehicles at the cost of N9.5billion; and a contract for the deployment of sniffer dogs to the Lagos and Abuja international airports at the cost of N658.8 million.

Nwajiuba on his part said Council approved contract in favour of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State, for the construction of facilities, including hostels, administrative blocks and a new library at the cost of N2.7 billion.

Adesina said Council approved contracts worth N1,709,469,671billion for four federal agencies including Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

According to him, while a total of N187.5 million was approved for procurement of operational vehicles for the FRSC, a total of N537 million was approved for NEITI’s permanent office building for its head office, and a total of N985 million for the procurement and installation of dual body scanners for four international airports in the country.

“The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) got approval to procure operational vehicles at N187,469,669.25 and that is to reduce carnage on our roads and to meet its goals of reducing accidents by at least 15 per cent and fatalities by 20 per cent. For the Ministry of Health, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in particular also got approval to procure some vehicles for its use.

“NEITI, which is, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative was given approval to acquire a Permanent Office Building for N537,000,000 to be used as its head office. NEITI has been in a rented place. There was also an approval for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to procure and install four Body Dual View Scanners Solution with x-ray management software at Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Kano Airports at N985,000,002.40. You know that NDLEA has been doing wonderful things in recent times.”

(Daily Sun)