Government slashes airport contract fee

15 July 2010, NEXT
URL: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5594185-146/government_slashes_airport_contract_fee_.csp

 By Elizabeth Archibong

July 15, 2010 12:29AM

The Executive Council of the Federation, yesterday, approved the downward review of the contract for the extension and resurfacing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.

The contract was reviewed from N3.56billion to N3.32billion.

Briefing reporters after the closed door session, Dora Akunyili, the Minister of Information and Communications, said, “With the modification, the contract sum was downward reviewed from the initial sum of N3.56billion to N3.32billion, thereby saving government N249.37million.”

Fidelia Njeze, the minister of Aviation, who was also present at the briefing, said “the modification became necessary so as to accommodate the resurfacing of the second central parallel taxiway and associated links which have failed at several portions and very vital to the entire project”. Ms. Njeze noted that these were omitted in the initial scope of works.

She said the project has a completion period of six months.

Other decisions

At the meeting, the executive also approved the award of contract for the execution of Zobe Water Supply project phase II in the sum of N9.96billion, with a completion period of 18 months. It also approved the contract for the consultancy services for the Zobe project in the sum of N253.26million.

Officials said they considered the positive impact the project will have on the lives of the people around the area where the project is located before approving the contract.

The minister of agriculture, Ahmed Abdullah, also briefed the council on the comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) process in Nigeria and West Africa sub-region, which was adopted in Maputo in July 2003 by Africa Union heads of state and government. CAADP is seen as the action plan that guarantees a bright future for Africa especially in achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Also, the minister of Tourism, culture and national orientation, Abubakar Sadiq A. Mohammed, briefed the council on the need to ratify the new charter for African cultural renaissance adopted by the heads of state and government of the AU at its 6th ordinary session held in Khartoum, Sudan in 2006 to replace the one adopted in January 1976 by the defunct OAU.

The formal launching of the charter would be performed in October during the 3rd session of the AU ministers of culture conference in Abuja.

The council directed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke, to commence preparation of the instrument for ratification of the new charter.

Nigeria and the United Nations Security Council were also discussed.

The Presidency of the UN Security Council rotates in an alphabetical order amongst the five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members of the council and Nigeria has been a non-permanent member for two years since October 2009.

On July 1, Nigeria assumed the chairmanship of the UN Security Council. Mrs Akunyili said “accordingly, Nigerian permanent representative to the UN Professor Joy Ogwu will chair the council meetings. On July 16, 2010, Nigeria is introducing a debate in the UN Security Council as part of the tradition of the council. Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister, Odein Ajumogobia, will chair the debate which has the topic: The use of preventive diplomacy as a tool: the challenges for Africa” she added.