Posted by By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
The Federal Government Wednesday approved the purchase of two Bell 427 customised helicopters for the Nigeria Police.
The Federal Government Wednesday approved the purchase of two Bell 427 customised helicopters for the Nigeria Police. Also, it ordered the commencement of work on the N296 billion hydro-electricity power project in Mambilla Plateau, Adamawa State and voted N2 billion for preparatory works on it.
The project, which, when completed, will generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity, is modelled after the Three-Gorges Dam project in China.
This is one of the major decisions of Wednesday's weekly Federal Executive Council meeting which held in Abuja under the chairmanship of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Frank Nweke, who briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, said to underscore government's seriousness about the project, a special unit would be constituted in the Presidency to oversee its construction.
He said the project was in furtherance of government's determination to increase the country's electricity generating capacity, adding that it would boost power supply in the country when completed.
The council also gave approval for the procurement of two Bell 427 customised helicopters for use by the Nigerian Police for N1.7 billion to combat crime. Two of the copters had earlier been procured and they are being used to check the menace of cross-border banditry in the north-eastern zone of the country.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Broderick Bozimo, also announced the approval of a N70 million contract for the construction of police headquarters at Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State.
He said government was committed to its programme on enhanced security in the country by ensuring the general well-being of the officers and men of the Nigerian Police and provision of infrastructure for the force.
Another decision of the council is the ceding of some portions of the Nigerian Railway Corporation's land at Ebutte Metta, Lagos, housing its staff canteen, printing press, golf course and recreational facilities, to the Federal Medical Centre to increase its space.
It also granted approval for the review of the country's housing laws to remove all impediments on the housing sub-sector and make for efficient and effective housing delivery in the country.
The laws include the Federal Mortgage Bank Act, Investment and Equity Act, National Housing Fund Act, National Social Insurance Trust Fund Act, Investment and Securities Act and Federal Mortgage Financing Limited Act.
Nweke had announced the ratification of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement signed with Ethiopia to foster tourism and African unity and the approval for the award of contracts to four service providers to procure x-ray scanners for the nation's ports as part of the non-UNCTAD components of the ASYCUDA project for the Customs Service.