FEC okays N24.2b free internet in 20 airports, varsities, markets

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved two contracts worth N24.20 billion for the provision of broadband for free internet in 75 public places, including 20 airports, tertiary institutions and markets nationwide.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, announced this while addressing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa yesterday in Abuja.

All the ministers who spoke at the post-FEC media briefing said a total of N209.36 billion was approved for various projects in their ministries.

Giving a breakdown of the approvals for his ministry, Pantami said his two memoranda were related, since they both focused on providing free internet connectivity services.

The minister said the second memorandum was complementary to a similar one approval last year.

“Both memos, you will discover that they will provide broadband to these institutions at the cost of approximately N24.20 billion and the project is going to be implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

“The duration for the project is four months minimum and maximum of five months. There is a budgetary provision for that. Also, the fund to sponsor the implementation has been secured by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“For universities, it’s because we have learnt a bitter and better lessons during the COVID-19. So, we don’t want to go back to that. We want to ensure that students and workers benefit from unlimited internet. For airports, we know the difficulty when you land without any connectivity.

“So, it will even at least make our airports livelier; if there is at least internet connectivity that is free.

“Thirdly, for markets, it’s to support innovation-driven enterprises that are being championed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where we try to give global visibility to our innovators, to our micro, small and medium enterprises, so that their market is not going to be narrowed and restricted only to our local communities,” he said.

The council also approved two major contracts for the construction of a Centre of Excellence for environmental restoration at Wiiyaakara in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State and a 100-bed specialist hospital in Ogoni.

Environment Minister Mohammed Abdullahi said the contract was awarded to CCECC Nigeria Limited at N41,472,263,848.60, with a completion period of 24 months.

He said the second memo for the construction of the 100-bed specialist hospital was awarded to Messrs Tannit Medical Engineering Limited at N18,308,463,225.37, plus 7.5 per cent of VAT, with a delivery period of 24 months.Also, the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Umar El-Yakub, as well as Transportation Minister Muazu Jaji Sambo briefed correspondents on the contracts the FEC approved for their ministries.

Also, the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Umar El-Yakub, as well as Transportation Minister Muazu Jaji Sambo briefed correspondents on the contracts the FEC approved for their ministries.

and announced that FEC approved N95.98 billion for projects in the ministry.

The minister said the first memorandum was “for the award of contract for the dualisation of the Akure/Ita Ogbolu–Iju/Ado in Ekiti State boundary, on the Ondo State side, in favour of Messrs Samchez Nigeria Limited and Messrs Horizon Construction Company Limited, at N46,684,481,745.44 with a completion period of 24 months”.

He added: “The Section II of that road was awarded to Messrs Kopek Construction Limited at N49,295,088,593.98 with a completion period of 30 months.”

Transportation Minister Muazu Jaji Sambo said he got approvals for two memoranda: the first for the renewal of a management contract for the management ports facilities; the second for procurement of two tugboats for operations at the Lekki Deep Seaport, totalling N26.77 billion.

He said the first memo was the renewal of the management contract for the management of tugs, pilot cutters or mooring launches within Apapa and Tin Can Island ports complex, signed between Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Messrs LTT Coastal and Marine Services Limited, initially in April 2007, for a period of 15 years.

The minister said the contract agreement had expired in March last year.

“The purpose of the memorandum is to seek Council’s approval to renew the management contract, as provided for in the management agreement and endorsed by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), in favour of Messrs LTT Coastal and Marine Services Limited for the sum of $29,871,615.22, which is an equivalent of N12,440,332,875.44, inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT, at an exchange rate of one U.S dollar to N416.46.

“The second memorandum that was considered by Council and approved is on a contract for the design, construction and supply of two 80 tonnes marine tugboats to support the operations of the newly commissioned Lekki Deep Seaport in Lagos.

“The contract was awarded to Messrs the De Pasa Marine International Nigeria Limited in the sum of €30,183,540.20, equivalent of N14,330,329,389.75 at the CBN prevailing exchange rate at the time of payment, inclusive of seven and 7.5 per cent VAT and with a completion period of 15 months,” he said.

Also, the Ministry of Aviation got approval for the construction of a 150-room capacity hostel at over N2 billion.

Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, who briefed correspondents on behalf of Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, said the 150-room female hostel at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, in favour of Messrs Best Homes Construction Limited, in the sum of N2,244,713,424.56, inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT with a completion period of 12 months.

“Also, the Federal Minister of Information and Culture presented a memo to Council, which was approved today for the procurement of 13 operational vehicles for the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) for the sum of N383,968,500, in favour of Kaura Motors, with a completion period of three weeks.

“The operational vehicles will be used for the day-to-day operations of the FRCN and, in particular, they will be used report, gather news, with respect of the various of cases in tribunal and also for the National Population and Housing Census coming up sometime in May,” Mohammed said.