By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N9.44 billion for the execution of projects by various ministries and other purposes.The virtual FEC meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, also approved the National Quality Policy (NQP), which would ensure that goods exported from Nigeria are acceptable to the countries of import.Addressing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola said FEC approved emergency road repairs done in Zamfara State in 2016 on rain-washed Gumi bridge, as well as Dakitawa, Kebbi to Sokoto State border, Guasu to Talatu Mafarawa to Sokoto border.The contract was awarded under the Public Procurement Act in emergency situations as provisional contracts. So, we had to go through procurement process, file reports of completion and then come to seek ratification.The work had since been completed, but the paper work has now led us here. And the ratification was granted today by FEC for N7,923,706,078.86, he said.The minister also said Council approved the contract for the design and deployment of a contract performance and compliance for highway and road management system for N203,845,332.50.Read Also: FEC approves new retirement age for teachersThis is an information and communication technology (ICT) device being procured by the ministry to improve its capacity to monitor not only contract performance but also maintenance of its roads and to empower not only its 36 controllers in each of the states of the federation but also the six zonal directors to improve our service delivery.The importance of deploying ICT now perhaps would be better appreciated when it is understood that we have over 13,000 kilometres of road networks at different stages of construction or rehabilitation as at the close of December 2020. And those 13,000-plus kilometres are manifest in over 700 different contracts, he said.Also, Industry, Trade and Investment Minister Niyi Adebayo said the NQP would help the countrys exporters who have suffered for a long time.This policy will create a situation whereby the government and the private sector will be able to collaborate to set up quality testing centres, testing labs, which we hope will have accreditation with international centres, such that any goods that have been approved to have met the standard would be of international standard, he said.The minister said Council also approved the ratification of the Nigerian/Hungarian Trade Agreement to help Nigerian businessmen export their goods to Hungary and to further increase trade between both countries.He said Council also approved a N50 million variation of power contract in the Kano Free Trade Zone, following a memorandum he presented to FEC on behalf of the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA).Adebayo explained that the contract was awarded in 2018 for underground cabling for power project within the Kano Free Trade Zone but was not completed before certain specification changes were made.So, the contractor requested a variation of six per cent increase of the initial contract sum, which amounted to about N50 million. Council has approved that variation and the job, which has reached 93 per cent completion, will be completed within the next six months, he added.The Minister said council also approved another contract for NEPZA to buy a property for its Lagos zonal office.Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said Council approved N1,146,659,500 for the award of contract for the installation of solar-powered street lighting for Karshi-Jikwoyi dual carriage road in Abuja.Speaking on behalf of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Mohammed Bello, the Information minister said the contract was awarded to Messrs Bassman Nigeria Limited and completion period of six months.The Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedi-Agba, spoke about a memorandum the FEC approved a two-month extension and N124.2 million for the variation of contract for the construction of power sub-stations projects in Lanlate and Abeokuta.
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