Cyril Okonkwo
The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved over N13 billion for 14 ecological projects across Nigeria.
The approval was given at the week’s cabinet meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said that the approval followed two memos presented at the meeting on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The minister said that the Council granted the award of contracts for the 2022 emergency procurement for accelerated soil erosion, flood and pollution control intervention projects for the first and second quarters of the year.
The first of the projects is the erosion and flood control works around the Trans-Nkisi Federal Housing Estate at 33 Road, Onitsha, Anambra State.
It was approved for the sum of N939.1million with six months completion period.
Approvals were also given for the reinforced concrete channels in Uburu Phase 2, Ebonyi State for the sum of N1.97 billion with 18 months completion period and erosion and flood control project for Ado-Ekiti and Ilejeme and Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State for N1.15 billion with a completion period of 14 months.
“There is also the flood and erosion control/road improvement works in Ogbomosho for N978 million with a completion period of 18 months.
“There is flood and road control works along Ugbodu-Wodu road, Aniocha North West in Delta State with a completion period of six months for the sum of N938 million.
“There is also the gully erosion control in Ovia North-East, Edo State for the sum of N878 million with a completion period of 18 months.
“There is Lassa town flood and erosion control works, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State for N844 million with a completion period of 12 months.
“We have the flood control at in Alagano, Bade Local Government Area of Yobe State for the sum of N1.97 million with a completion period of 18 months; flood control through the reconstruction of Falankawa dam and its porters structures for irrigation at Ajingi Local Government Area in Kano State for N632 million with completion period of eight months.
“We have Construction of drainages, culverts, environment and land reclamation in Wurno/ Rabah constituency, Sokoto State and that is going for the sum of N552 million with a completion period of 12 months.”
Alhaji Mohammed said that Council approved contract for the Gusau town gully erosion work in Zamfara which has been awarded for N879million and for 16months completion period as well as the erosion flood control and road improvement works at Oturkpo in Benue State.
He said the contract sum approved for the project in Oturkpo was N931million with a completion period of six months.
“There is also the erosion control and road improvement works from Wasa to Wude, Central FCT, in Phase 2 of FCT for the sum of N2, 279, 000, 032 and it has completion of 14 months.
“Finally, there is supply and installation of (1) 18 meter 250kg flameless and odourless diesel powered incinerator to National Hospital in Abuja for the sum of N159million for the building period of six months.
According to Mohammed, interventions in ecological challenges follow complaints made to the Ecological Project Office on threats to communities.
He said that the administration of President Buhari has “intervened in at least, 291 projects out of which 263 have been completed and handed over to beneficiary communities and institutions while a total of 28 are various stages of completion.
“You will note that these projects are divided across the six geo-political zones. We have two in the Southeast, two in the Southwest, two in the South South. Northeast has two, north west have three; north central and the FCT have three.
“The only thing I want to add here is that most of these projects, when completed, are handed over to the beneficiary communities. It could be state; it could be local government.
“The intervention of the Ecological Project Office is massive and it is huge. If we can complete 261 in six years, what that shows is an average of 40 or more every year.”
Alhaji Mohammed said that the second memo presented to the Council on behalf of the president was that seeking approval for the award of contract for the provision of various agricultural inputs and equipment for the National Youth Farmers’ Scheme.
He said that the contracts were awarded in the total sum of N1, 393, 000, 000 with various completion periods.
“The first is provision of farmer inputs such as seeds, cottons, planting materials, agro-chemicals, fertilizer, and growth enhancers, for 3000 hectares in Abia, Adamawa, Bornu, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Osun, Yobe and Enugu States. That is for the sum of N313million for a period of two weeks.
“The second is the supply of tractors, ploughs, ridgers, disc arrows, hydraulic tipping trailers, logistics and deliveries to selected states such as Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Osun and Jigawa states.
“The third is purchase of land preparation equipment. This involves 11 massive Ferguson tractors, 11 disc ploughs, 11 three disc ploughs, 11 four disc ridgers, 11 twenty disc arrows and 11 hydraulic tipping trailers for Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Osun, Jigawa and Gombe states.
“While logistics and deliveries to selected states such as Abia, Ogun, Ekiti, Katsina and Ebonyi States will gulp another N2.5million.
“The last contract under this paper is the professional and technical enhancement for the National Youth Farmers’ Scheme Enugu, Ekiti, Abia, Imo, Adamawa, Cross River, Katsina, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Bornu and Rivers, for the sum of N213million for a completion period of one week.”
Mohammed said that the significance of these contracts is that the federal government is reiterating the emphasis it put on agriculture and ensuring that agriculture is not just for big land owners or big farmers, but to encourage even our youths to go into agriculture.
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