The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of $984.7 million for the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) to procure maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi rail line that connects Nigeria to neighbouring Niger Republic. This was announced by the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, at the end of the weekly council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja.
Mr Sambo said the equipment is specifically meant for the Kano-Maradi rail line that is currently under construction. The contract was awarded to a company that is also the contractor handling the railway project, and it includes the procurement of rolling stock operation and maintenance equipment with a completion period of four years.
The council also approved over N510 million for the Nigerian Ports Authority to supply four customised Fire Service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims for Rivers Ports, Port Harcourt, Lagos Port Complex, Tin Can Island Port and Marina Headquarters all in Lagos.
In addition, the council approved N5 billion for the construction of residential accommodation for officers and men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). According to Mr Malami, the approval became necessary to further secure the lives and property of personnel of the agency, who have been making tremendous success in the fight against drug cartels and barons.
He revealed that the council gave approval for the construction of two categories of barracks totaling 192 flats. The first contract is for the construction of barracks comprising a total of 92 units of three bedroom semi-detached flats for Narcotics Superintendents and Narcotics Assistant Superintendents at the cost of N2, 267, 785, 450.83. The second contract is in the sum of N2, 889, 480, 320.55 for the construction of barracks comprising a total of 100 units of two and three bedroom semi-detached flats for Narcotics Superintendents and Narcotics Agents.