The Federal Executive Council has approved the sum of N1.6bn for consultancy services for pre-contract services for the design and construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with a completion period of 12 months.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the third virtual meeting of the council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said,

Today in council, a memo from aviation (ministry) was considered and it is the consultancy services for the design and pre-contract services for the construction of a new runway here in Abuja.

The contract went to a consortium of consultants at a total contract sum of N1,659,592,908.78. This included 7.5 per cent of VAT also at an exchange rate of N360 to dollar and this was approved.

Sirika added that the consortium of consultants comprised two international counterparts and one Nigerian.

The minister said,

What I want you to assure the public is that a lot of work has been done in this procurement of consultancy services.

It will be fast-tracked and it is the intention of the ministry to conclude before the end of the year so that with the balance of money that we have in the budget, we can appoint a contractor and commence the construction of the second runway.

We hope to conclude the second runway if awarded before the end of the life of this administration.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said FEC approved N8.14bn for the reactivation and completion of Farim Ruwa Multipurpose Dam in the Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, which included the provision for water supply, irrigation and 20 megawatts hydropower station.

Adamu stated that though the state government started the project in 2013, in 2018, it requested the Federal Government to take over for completion.

Adamu said,

All we intend to do at the federal level is to complete the dam and then hope that we can get a concessionaire to take over the component of the hydropower, which includes the construction of the powerhouse, the turbines and the transmission lines. The contract sum is N8.14bn, inclusive of all taxes with the completion period of 24 months.

It comprises the completion of the dam embankment, spring lay and outlet works for the water supply and hydropower component, 20km of access road and rehabilitation of some service quarters.

He added that the amount covered services for design, and a consortium of consultants would be involved.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.