FEC approves N35bn for aviation projects in eight states

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved N35 billion for various projects in the aviation sector.

Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, said this on Wednesday in Abuja, at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The projects include the construction of terminal buildings at airports in Delta and Enugu states.

He said N5.6 billion of the money was approved for the maintenance of the new international building terminals in Abuja and Port Harcourt.

“There were five memoranda from civil aviation, which were all approved, starting from the one for contract for the maintenance of Nigeria’s new international terminal buildings in Abuja and Port Harcourt,” he said.

“This is in line with the government’s policy to ensure that public buildings are well maintained so that they will remain as they are.

“In this case, a contract was approved for the two terminal buildings at a total cost of N5,653,341,729.07, including 7.5 percent VAT, for three years.’’

Sirika said the council also approved N14.2 billion as an increase in the cost of the construction of terminal buildings at Akanu Ibiam international airport in Enugu state and at the airport in Asaba.

“The second memo is the approval for increase in the cost of construction of new terminal building at perishable cargo airports in Enugu and Asaba,” he added.

“That of Asaba is not a federal government airport, but we are putting in a cargo terminal building there.

“This is funded through the federal budget. Recall that the remaining four terminal buildings in Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja are funded through Chinese loans.

“The Enugu airport is funded through our appropriation including the cargo terminal therein and also the cargo terminal at Asaba.

“The increased cost for these procurements is N14,242,808,433.17 with 12 months additional completion period.”

He added that the ministry also got approval for the procurement of an “L3 X-ray machine parts and maintenance support services”.

“This procurement is in the sum of N469,679,484 with 7.5 percent VAT to be supplied in 12 months,’’ he explained.

Sirika also announced that the cabinet approved increased cost for the procurement, configuration, delivery, and commissioning of transportable radars.

According to him, this is co-mounted with another radar and tower control centre for the enhancement of the Northeast surveillance safety of air navigation operations and for the airport at Maiduguri to run for 24 hours daily.

The minister said N14.7 billion was approved for the construction of clinics at Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Lagos Airports as well as the replacement of elevators and excavators at Wings `D’ and `E’ at the old Lagos Airport.