FEC approves N20bn for surveillance of aircraft operating on Nigerian airspace

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N20 billion for the total radar coverage project of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

The council gave the approval on Wednesday during the weekly meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Total radar coverage is an initiative towards enhancing civil and military surveillance of aircraft operating in the Nigerian airspace.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the council meeting, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the contract was part of the three memos brought for the consideration of FEC on behalf of the ministry.

“Today, the council received three memoranda from aviation, and they were all approved consequently,” Sirika said.

“Memo number one is for approval for a contract for the supply and installation of baggage handling system at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, and the total contract sum is N3,615,265,710.69, inclusive of the 7.5% VAT, with the completion period of 12 months.

“The contractor is Messrs. Gulf of Africa International Limited, who are exclusive representatives of the original equipment manufacturer. The OEM is Messrs. UVS Systems Company, a company that is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The funding was found and appropriated, and the Council consequently approved.

“The second memo from us in Aviation is approval for the award of contract for the manufacture, supply, installation and operating training of disabled aircraft recovery system at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

“This system is to be applied in the event that there is an aircraft that is occupying the runway or any area of operations that we have, so the special equipment will be used to remove that aircraft from that place and free it for our own operations. Contract sum is N2,209,593,428.08, inclusive of 7.5% VAT.

“This was issued to Messrs. Globsley Project Limited. The OEM representatives are Messrs. AMS Aircraft Recovery Limited.

“The third memo is approval for the award of contract for direct procurement, installation and commissioning of the total radar coverage modernisation for the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, and this contract is in two parts and the total is 40 million euros, which is equivalent to N20,039,080,799.40.

“The contractors are Messrs. Talas, who had been on the project and supported by Intelligent Transportation Systems Limited and Messrs. Softnet Systems Nigeria Limited, and the OEMs are Messrs. Talas Systems of France and Messrs. HM Global of Germany.” (Channels TV)