With Two Weeks To Go, Buhari Government Insists Nigeria Air Will Fly Before End of Tenure

The special Federal Executive Council meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja on Monday, treated 40 out of 47 memoranda from various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Briefing newsmen after the FEC meeting, Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika, while confirming the number of memos presented before FEC, reaffirmed the seriousness of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to ensure that the proposed national airline, Nigeria Air, works before the 29th of this month, when it will be leaving office.

His words: “Yes, we are on course, we’re on course, and by the grace of God before President Buhari leaves office, it will fly. We are on course, we are on course and before May 29, it will fly.”

He also said the federal government gave approval to N3,197,127,22.72 for the procurement and installation of Taxi Waylights and Photometric Pattern in three airports and some other equipment all over the country. 

The Minister explained that the equipment would be installed in Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja airports, saying “so today in council, something very significant has happened in the world of civil aviation. Part of our roadmap, the aviation leasing company has been established and approved by council.”

According to him: “A second memo was also a contract for procurement, an installation of taxi waylights in the system and photometric pattern in Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja and some other equipment all over the country. 

“And this contract is in the total sum for the photometric and taxi waylights system N3,197,127, 22.72 billion with an eight month period and the contractor Mssrss KSR3 Global Ledger Limited.”

Showing the approval, Sirika said, enterpreneurs in civil aviation will have access to these equipment at affordable rates in Nigeria, and this is part of the roadmap, adding that, the roadmap is gradually coming to 100 per cent completion. 

Also speaking, Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said the council approved the appointment of a consultant for the supervision of the Dadin-kowa water scheme for first five years with N605 million.

On her part, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, said the Federal Government has witnessed a rise in school enrollment nationwide but did not provided specific numbers. 

According to her,  the government aims to enrol every out-of-school child by 2030. 

In addition, she said the government has approved a budget of over 14 billion naira to train  N-Power beneficiaries.

She also said Council approved a policy on the National Home Grown School Feeding programme (NHGSFP) which seeks to address the issues of education, health, social protection and agriculture.

Also briefing, Minister of State (Transportation), Demola Adegiroye, said the council approved the sum of N1.3 billion for the procurement of furniture for the newly acquired headquarters of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Security Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos.

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

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