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Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government has approved N52 billion, for e-border solution, to monitor the country’s porous borders.
The expenditure was approved at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday.
FEC also approved N202.6 million augmentation for the completion of two dams in Katsina (Ingawa Dam) and Plateau (Mangu Dam), as well as N652,318,104 for the training and starter packs for 1,500 beneficiaries in N-Creative Trainees in the North.; while N325,489 million was approved for training and starter packs for 2,000 beneficiaries in the southern states.
Interior Minister, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, who briefed in company with his colleagues in Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu and Information and Culture, ALhaji Lai Mohammed, said the N52 billion contract will cover 86 border posts and all the 1,400 illegal routes being used for smuggling and other crimes.
He said the pilot system has already been installed at two border posts, and that the information would be available real-time 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Said Dambazau: “You will recall that when we came, I made the observation that our borders are porous and diverse and that it was impossible to man these borders physically. Therefore, there was the need for modern technology, to be able to monitor our borders. We also thought of the capacity to respond to emergencies at the borders.
“It was on this note that I presented a memo today (yesterday), for this eBorder solution. This process started in 2012 but, we picked it up, to move forward when we came in. The project is to be completed in the next two years and it would cost about N52 billion.
“There is a pilot project already, which has been very successful; it was installed to monitor two borders. This project is going to cover 86 border posts in the country. We will be able to also monitor 1,400 illegal routes that are used for smuggling and all kinds of cross border criminal activities.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service will work very closely with other services. When it comes to response, with the Nigeria Air Force and the army units deployed near the borders, with the customs in terms of smuggling; the information will be available real-time 24/7.”
FEC also approved N202.6 million augmentation for the completion of two dams in Katsina and Plateau.
Water Resources Minister, Adamu said: Council approved extension of consultancy services on two priority ongoing projects. First is Ingawa Dam Project in Katsina State which is 50,60 percent completed. “Last year, we got total reversal cost of the project and extension. To that effect, Council approved augmentation of over N91 million for consultancy service supervision, in favour of Messers Cosidon Consultancy Service Ltd. This now raises the consultancy fee from N125.7 million to N217.4 million.
“The second memo is in respect of Mangu Dam project, which has about 70 percent completion. We also had Revise Estimated Cost Approval last year, which also approved an extension period for the work. In the same vein, the consultancy period had to be adjusted to correspond to the completion period. An augmentation of N111.6 million to raise the consultancy service supervision from N104 million to N215 million with an extension period of 24 months in favour of AIM Consultants Ltd.”
On his part, Udoma said Council approved two memos on National Social Investment Programme.
“The first was for the award of consultancy service contract for the provision of training services and integrated supply of starter packs for N-Creative Trainees in the northern states, in favour of Messers Patigon services Ltd, in the sum of N652,318,104 inclusive of five percent VAT. The training will be held in Abuja, for 1,500 beneficiaries with integrated starter packs distributed to the trainees at the end of the training.”
“The four thematic creative areas and their respective beneficiaries distributions are as follows: script writing – 150, graphic illustration 375, animation – 750 and post-production -225.
“The second memo was also under the National Social Investment Programme for the award of consultants service contracts for the provision of training services and integration supply of starter packs for the N-Tech Software trainees in Southern Nigeria, in favour of UCH Ltd at the sum of N325,489 million. This same training has been provided for the northern states already, so this is for the southern states. The training is for 2,000 beneficiaries.”
