FEC approves renaming of aviation ministry, concessioning of two int’l airports

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Mallam Aminu Kano international airport in Kano.

The council gave the approval on Wednesday at a meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, said the Abuja airport will be concessioned for 20 years while the international airport in Kano will be concessioned for 30 years.

Sirika also said the council approved the ministry’s change of name.

According to the minister, the name was changed from the ‘federal ministry of aviation’ to the ‘ministry of aviation and aerospace of Nigeria’.

“The council also approved the draft national civil aviation policy which is geared towards the strengthening of the civil aviation,” Sirika added. 

Last week, FEC approved N449.9 million for the engagement of consultants for the development of a master plan for 17 airports in Nigeria.

APPROVALS FOR PROCUREMENTS IN THE POWER SECTOR

Also speaking, Jerry Agba, minister of state for power, said the council approved two memos for the ministry. 

Agba said the first one being an approval for the award of contract for the procurement of 25 numbers of 33 KV circuit breakers and 120 numbers of surge arrestors for systems use for Transition Company of Nigeria (TCN). 

He said the contract value is in “the neighborhood of N140 million as argumentation for that”. 

“The contract has been awarded before they are ongoing, but we asked for approval for revaluation due to price escalation and additional works. We’re building new sub stations in one of the places,” he said. 

Agba added that the council also approved the variation due to price escalation on the construction of the Dukanbo Shonga 132 KV double circuit transmission line. 

“Shonga is in Kwara state and that line has been down for several years. So, with this procurement, we should be able to revemp the station and you know is an agro based area that’s the area which service the Bacita farm. 

“The shunga farms limited and the whole of that area has been in darkness for a long time. With this procurement we hope that in two months, we should have full power supply to those areas and  restore farming and processing activities in that area. The cost is N1.5 billion.”