Get Guardian on Google• N628m for Abuja airport runway
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N12.66 billion to buy equipment for the Fire Service.
Also included are the procurements of 116 Green Maria vehicles for the Nigeria Prison Service, and data control and communication centre for the Nigeria Immigrations Service (NIS).
The council, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari also approved N628 million as variation for the Abuja runway, bringing the total project to N6.5 billion.
Another N1.2 billion was approved for the Apapa and Tin Can Ports’ pilot cutters in Lagos.
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Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting.
He said the approval of firefighting equipment was to fight fire incidents, while the 116 Green Maria (formerly called Black Maria) vehicles was to facilitate the transportation of prisons inmates to court, especially those in the awaiting trial category.
He said: “We embarked on the procurement of fighting trucks and water tankers, as part of the security sector reform efforts and reducing the incidents of fire.
“But the reform is not just about procurement of equipment, but we are also focusing on the issue of training and welfare of staff within the various services.”
Danbazzau explained that the construction of a Technology Building, which is a data command control and communication centre has also become imperative.
The idea, he said is to bring together all the data used by Nigeria immigration under one roof.
“The rationale is to be able to guarantee effective and efficient monitoring and management of the data.
He added: “In this case, Julius Berger is going to construct this building including the furnishing.”
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, also disclosed that the Abuja runway variation of cost, which was earlier stepped down was also considered.
These, he said, include pilot cutters at the ports, which are vessels that convey pilots, who move the ships or vessels from point A to point B.
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