FEC okays national quality policy, N9.4 billion for sundry projects

To make Nigeria’s exports competitive, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a National Quality Policy to make the goods meet international standards.

Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, who spoke after the weekly meeting presided over yesterday by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, noted: “For a long time, Nigerian exporters have been suffering because of lack of quality. We felt that it is high time we had a policy that ensured that the standards of Nigerian goods meant for export are raised to end their rejection.”

The plan, he added, would see government collaborating with the private sector to establish modern testing centres and laboratories of international standard to achieve the set objective.

Adebayo said the Nigerian/Hungarian Trade Agreement was also ratified to facilitate exports between the two countries.

He said council equally approved a N50 million variation of power contract in Kano Free Trade Zone.

The Ekiti ex-governor explained that a contract was awarded in 2018 for underground cabling within the facility but was not completed before certain specification changes were made.

He added that approval was as well secured for the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) to purchase a property in Lagos for its zonal office.

BESIDES, the gathering sanctioned N9, 448,410,910 for sundry projects across the federation under the Ministries of Power, Works and Housing and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Of the sum, N1, 146,659,500 is for installation of solar streetlight on Karshi-Jikwoyi dual carriage road in Abuja.

Addressing State House correspondents on behalf of his FCT colleague, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the project was awarded to Messrs Bassman Nigeria Limited, with a completion period of six months.

He said: “The 20-kilometre street lighting project and the area hosts some very strategic institutions such as the Treasury Academy, new Correctional Centre, which is under construction, the Federal Science College, Armed Forces Post Service Housing Scheme in addition to the Police Housing Scheme among others.”

Apart from beautifying the area, the minister said the illumination would provide better security in fulfillment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 of the United Nations.

Also speaking, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, observed that contracts for highways and road management system were given out at N203, 845,332.50.

He said the parley also endorsed the emergency repair of roads in Zamfara State in 2016. The highways, including Gumi Bridge, Dakitawa, were washed away by rains.

According to Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedi-Agba, council approved two months extension and N124.2 million for variation of contract for the construction of sub-stations in Lanlate and Abeokuta.

The meeting was, additionally, briefed on progress report regarding the nation’s metering programme.