AG PRES OSINBAJO PRESIDES OVER FEC

FEC approves N500m for EFCC office

NEWS DIGEST – The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a memo from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), requesting N500 million for the maintenance of its new office complex.

The EFCC recently moved into a new 10-storey permanent office building in Abuja.

Garba Shehu, the spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, who briefed journalists at the end of the FEC meeting presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said the anti-graft agency also got approval for the procurement of 700 computers, 100 laptops and 25 laser printers at about N459 million.

Mr Shehu said another memo for the purchase of 15 utility vehicles for the EFCC was also approved.

“They are expanding and need the vehicles for their operations. All the vehicles are from local assembly plants,” he said.

Mr Shehu also said FEC approved the purchase of five water patrol boats for the Nigerian Ports Authority, Marina, Lagos.

“This is for coastline security,” he said.

Also at the briefing, minister of water resources, Suleiman Adamu, said the council also approved the revised total estimated cost for the complete rehabilitation of Cham dam and development of 100 hectares of irrigation in Balanga local government of Gombe State.

“This is part of our efforts to complete projects we inherited which started in 2011 and suffered from a supply of funds,” he said.

The minister said work stopped at about 65 per cent completion, but the government needed to complete and ”renegotiated the project with the contractors.”

He said he brought a request for augmentation for N612 million.

He said the project is being handled by the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority.

“It was originally constructed in 1982. It had to be reconstructed. The original contract cost was N832m re-awarded in 2011.”

Mr Suleiman said he also briefed the council regarding the latest flood data across the country.

He said the water level in Lokoja, Kogi State had dropped by 6 centimetres while the water level in Lagdo dam in Cameroon is also going down.

“So, we think that the worst is over, unless if any unforeseen incidence occurs now. We should be able to see most of the flood waters go down from now on,” he said.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a memo from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), requesting N500 million for the maintenance of its new office complex.

The EFCC recently moved into a new 10-storey permanent office building in Abuja.

Garba Shehu, the spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, who briefed journalists at the end of the FEC meeting presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said the anti-graft agency also got approval for the procurement of 700 computers, 100 laptops and 25 laser printers at about N459 million.

Mr Shehu said another memo for the purchase of 15 utility vehicles for the EFCC was also approved.

“They are expanding and need the vehicles for their operations. All the vehicles are from local assembly plants,” he said.

Mr Shehu also said FEC approved the purchase of five water patrol boats for the Nigerian Ports Authority, Marina, Lagos.

“This is for coastline security,” he said.

Also at the briefing, minister of water resources, Suleiman Adamu, said the council also approved the revised total estimated cost for the complete rehabilitation of Cham dam and development of 100 hectares of irrigation in Balanga local government of Gombe State.

“This is part of our efforts to complete projects we inherited which started in 2011 and suffered from a supply of funds,” he said.

The minister said work stopped at about 65 per cent completion, but the government needed to complete and ”renegotiated the project with the contractors.”

He said he brought a request for augmentation for N612 million.

He said the project is being handled by the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority.

“It was originally constructed in 1982. It had to be reconstructed. The original contract cost was N832m re-awarded in 2011.”

Mr Suleiman said he also briefed the council regarding the latest flood data across the country.

He said the water level in Lokoja, Kogi State had dropped by 6 centimetres while the water level in Lagdo dam in Cameroon is also going down.

“So, we think that the worst is over, unless if any unforeseen incidence occurs now. We should be able to see most of the flood waters go down from now on,” he said.