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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved N1.07 billion for lie detector and night vision goggles for National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
These were disclosed at the end of the council meeting presided by President Muhammudu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Briefing State House Correspondents alongside his colleagues, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed that FEC authorised the procurement of lie dictator and digital night vision goggles to enhance the performance of the NDLEA.
“Two memos were presented this afternoon by the Federal Ministry of Justice on behalf and at the instance of NDLEA. As you rightly know, NDLEA is an agency of the government saddled with the responsibility of exterminating illicit drugs trafficking, sales and consumption.
“Arising from the fact that they have been doing wonderfully well, in terms of dealing with the scourge associated with drugs, the Federal Government has considered the possibility of making added provisions and employing and deploying technological equipment skills and competencies that will assist them in delivery.
“So, this morning, two memos were taken. One, it was a memo seeking the approval of the council for the award of contract for the supply of eye-scanning lie detector. Our technology has improved to the extent that we have in place technological equipment that have the capacity to detect whether you are indeed speaking the truth or indeed you are lying in the course of investigation.
“So, for the purpose of enhancing the capacity of the NDLEA in exterminating illicit drugs trafficking, sales and consumption, the Federal Government has considered the need and possibility of providing this equipment to NDLEA.
“So, the memo in that respect was presented, it was taken and the contract was approved for Messrs Zettabytes Technologies Limited to procure for the agency these lie detector equipment. Eventually, on that account, the FEC approved the award of contract for the supply of eye-scanning lie detector by the NDLEA in favour of Messrs Zettabytes Technologies Limited in the sum of N498,850,000 only, inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT with a completion period of 90 days. That was the first memo that was taken.
“The second memo is by which the NDLEA through the Office of the Attorney General seeks approval of the council with the award for the supply of digital night vision goggle to the NDLEA, this is equally additional technological device that is intended to support the night operations of NDLEA in view of its capacity to support visibility for the NDLEA.
“So, the contract too was presented for consideration of the council and the council had graciously approved the award of the contract with the supply of digital night vision goggles by the national drug law enforcement agency in favour of Messrs R-SET Integrated Solution Limited in the sum of N570,825,000 only, inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT with completion period of weeks. That is from the office of the attorney general at the instance of NDLEA.”
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, also approved N32.742 billion for various contracts award for projects under the Ministry of Works and Housing and Industry, Trade and Investments.
The first memo approved for his ministry was for the augmentation of the contract of the Zaria-Funtua section of the Zaria-Sokoto-Birnin-Kebbi highway.
According to him, the augmentation was for N9.446 billion, an increase, which brings the contract sum to a total of N16.924 billion.
According to Fashola: “The augmentation caters for an extension of the scope of works on that section from 26 kilometres to a total of 64 kilometres. It also caters for the improvement of the pavement from a laterite-based pavement to a cement-based, concrete-mixed, stone-base pavement. It also makes provision for extensive drainage works to accommodate increasing rain flow and flooding patterns that we have observed in the last few years. Council approved that memorandum.”
He added that the second memorandum was presented by the ministry on behalf of one of its parastatals, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), that is statutorily responsible for maintenance and rehabilitation of certain roads.
