FEC Approves N1.6bn Equipment for Lokoja Port Construction

By Abiola Olanrewaju I

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has said that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has granted approval for the procurement of equipment worth N1.6 billion for the construction of Lokoja/Jamata River Port, in Kogi State.

Amaechi, who was speaking Wednesday shortly after the meeting said the approval, was given consequent upon the submission of two memos to the council by his ministry.

“The two memos are Lokoja/Jamata River Port Complex that we are trying to construct. The port is nearing completion so we are just buying the equipment for Cargo clearance.

“So I got approval for the procurement and installation of 64 tons capacity mobile crane that will help in cargo movement from the vessels to the port at the cost of €N3.5 million and another component of N203 million and N69 million for training. All together it came to N1.6 billion as the cost for the equipment,” he said.

The Minister further stated that the council approved a transactional adviser to advise his Ministry on some railway projects.

He said the projects include the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri tracks, which will connect Abia-Owerri-Umuahia-Enugu-Awka-Abakilikii-Makurdi-Lafia-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Damaturu-Yola-Maiduguri.

Amaechi also said the other one, which is referred to as the Central line will run from Abuja through Baru to Itakpe and subsequently connect Warri seaport.

“Then the one from Kano-Maradi, which goes through Kazaure-Dutse-Daura-Katsina-Jibiya and terminates at Maradi.

“These special advisers are to advise us on the financial models and all so as to help us when we start our negotiations with the companies and the contractors. The contract is awarded at the cost of N280 million,” the Minister added.

In his own briefing, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said FEC also approved the award of contract for the rehabilitation of Ila-Orangun Oke-Ila, Ilale Ekon road in Osun State that will link Ekiti State at the cost of N5, 195,176,195.50.

“The contract is to link the borders of the two states. It is a 34 kilometer length road. It has been embarked upon earlier on by the Osun State government but after three kilometers they gave up as they couldn’t fund it.
“The federal government has taken over the road; the road has always been a federal road in anyway. The completion is 15 months,” he said.

FEC on Wednesday also ratified the protocol on tobacco control to among other things eliminate illicit trade around the tobacco industry.

The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, who also briefed journalists at the end of the FEC meeting, said Nigeria ranks as the 35th country that has now ratified the protocol, which will check smuggling activities, increase taxes, and help in tracking the market for wrong use among other regulations.