FEC approves N62.7b Kano road, AfCTA, e-NHIS, others

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved N62.7 billion for construction of the Kano-DawakinTofa-Gwarzo-Dariyo road in Kano State.

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, told reporters after the meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja that the project would be executed in 24 months.

BESIDES, the gathering ratified Nigeria’s membership of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCTA) ahead of the December 5,2020 deadline in a memorandum presented by Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo.

The pact comes into force on January 1, 2021. His Information and Culture counterpart, Lai Mohammed, recalled that Nigeria signed the document on July 7, 2019 during the 12th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) in Niamey, Niger Republic.

Its earlier July 2020 implementation date was rescheduled following outbreak of the novel coronavirus. He said the parley also sanctioned N470,263,037 for procurement and installation of a dimensional aerodrome and approach simulator at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos by Messrs Intelligent Transportation System Limited.

Memo for the contract, which is to be executed in six months, was tendered by Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.

ALSO, Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said his ministry made a presentation on behalf of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to introduce electronic medical records and management in a concept known as e-NHIS.

He explained that the move was to create an electronic governance platform that allows inter-operability with stakeholders, particularly state health insurance schemes, health management organisations and hospitals for better services to patients.

Ehanire said the innovation was a platform for managing payments and claims, as well as records of patients for transparency and accountability.

In the same vein, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ali Isa Pantami, said FEC okayed a memorandum for creation of National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre in Abuja as part of government’s efforts to create jobs and enhance skill acquisition.

According to him, the facility would be managed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA in partnership with Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is to be raised within three years.

Pantami, who said the centre would support institutions, enhance skills of graduates and promote self-employment, added that his ministry would provide policy direction and guidance. He pointed out that the body would train millions of Nigerians in information communications technology (ICT) for a productive future.

The minister equally said council ratified another memorandum for formulation of a policy prioritising affairs of internally displaced persons (IDPs). He said the decision was in furtherance of an initial approval for digitalised identification of Nigerians.