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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, has the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) Establishment Bill, 2022.
According to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Faroq, revealed this to State House Correspondents, at the end of the cabinet meeting.
She explained that it is an Executive Bill to give legal backing to the NSIP; establish it as an institution in line with President Buhari’s agenda to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.
She also said the the council approved the National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for Nigeria; to enable more resilient and effective response-measures to tackle flooding in the country.
According to her, the plan is going to be multi-sectorial and multi stakeholders plan which sets out clear roles and responsibilities of each stakeholders involved in flood preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery.
The Council also approved the signing of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement between Nigeria and Kuwait.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the agreement will open up airline services between the two countries, in accordance with the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“That memo has to do with the signing of Bilateral Air Service Agreement between the Federal republic of Nigeria and the State of Kuwait. In that memorandum as approved, the text was earlier on initialled and was cleared by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
“It provided that the content of the agreement should have reciprocal rights and privileges for both countries and airlines involved. This will open up opportunities for air transportation between the two countries, in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) convention of 7th December 1944, to which both countries are signatories,” he said.
The Aviation Minister said the Council also approved a contract for the hiring of consultants for revalidation and collection of aviation height clearance for high rise buildings and masts that can obstruct flight operations in Nigeria.
He added that the contract will run at no cost to the budget because the revenues accrued there-in will be used to pay the consultants.
“We got approval for the award of contract for the engagement of consultants for revalidation and collection of aviation height clearance on behalf of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The contract was approved with a scale and at no cost to the budget.
“The revenues derived therefrom will be used to pay the consultants 0-1000, 000,000 7%; 1.1-2.5 billion, 5% and 2.5-5 billion is 3%. For more clarity, the aviation height clearance is extremely important to the safety of air operations. What concerns us in Civil Aviation is how efficient you depart from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’.
“There have been instances in Nigeria where we had air crashes in the past due to communication masts like the one in Jos-Plateau State. Having masts around the airport, or its vicinity or even a building, so long as it causes unsafe operations, that need to be regulated by the NCAA,” he said.
Sirika said going forward; the consultants will go after people with such masts or buildings, to ensure they abide by the regulations.
The Council also approved N829.8 million as revised estimated cost for the rehabilitation of a road in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, linking Anambra and Enugu States.
Minister of State for Works and Housing, Umar El-Yakub, said: “The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing presented a memorandum seeking Council’s approval for the revised estimated total cost of contract for the rehabilitation of Nkwo-Inyi-Akwegoze road in Anambra State’s border with Enugu State.
“The purpose of the memo was to seek Council’s approval for an augmentation of the cost of the project, to the tune of N829, 888, 825.53 with a completion period of six months. One of the essences of this augmentation is not only revising the rate but to ensure more longevity for the road, using asphaltic concrete binder. ”
He said the contract was originally awarded in 2018 is a strategic inter State road that has a heavy traffic and its completion would ease the traffic.
The Minister also commented on the dilapidated nature of the Ekpoma-Benin Expressway, assuring citizens that measures are being taken to fix the road but the rainy season is delaying its completion.
