Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The 13th virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved N5.485 billion for secretariat building in five states and the rehabilitation of lower Usuma Dam.
Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, who briefed journalists alongside his colleagues in Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, said the five contracts are secretariates in Anambra, Bayelsa, Osun, Nassarawa and Zamfara states. The variation approved is N3.9 billion changing the full contract amount from N13.56 billion to N17.54 billion.
Mohammed, the information minister, clarified, “What was approved today is N3.9 billion, not N17 billion. The N17 billion is the total cost of the projects. These projects started since 2011 and many of them have reached completion, like Gombe State. Some are in various stages of completion, money has been paid to a certain level. So all that has been approved today was the variation of N3.9 billion, not N17 billion.
On his part the minister of the FC, Bello said council also approved the rehabilitation of the Lower Usuma Dam Water Treatment Plant Phase 2 with an additional cost of N1.5 billion bringing the total contract sum to N2.52 billion.The contract is to last 12 months and will provide water for FCT residents for the next 30 years.