•Minister offers reason for botched Customs automation project
The Federal Government, yesterday, took bold steps to address the astronomical food prices across the federation, planning to “very quickly” convene a meeting of the National Food Security Council (NFSC).
It also lined up concrete actions to ensure growth of some sensitive sectors.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, who spoke after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja, noted that the gathering sanctioned NFSC to meet “very quickly to address the issue of food inflation and also provide a plan and some methods in which we can reduce the cost of food to support improved food prices for the citizenry.”
She said the council was briefed on the rising inflation and the need to manage cost of inflation in the country.
Ahmed stated FEC considered a report from her ministry on the first quarter of 2022 GDP report, which showed that the Nigerian economy grew by 3.1 per cent, as against a growth rate of 0.5 per cent in the corresponding period of last year.
![[FILE] President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan (left); President Muhammadu Buhari; Speaker of the House of representative, Femi Gbajabiamila and Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed during the signing of the 2022 Appropriation Bill of N17.127 trillion into law by the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja…](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/buhari-1030x580-1-120x86.jpg "Next government to inherit N71.5tr debts, liabilities after May 29 3")
She also gave reason why the $3.1 billion contract for ‘complete’ automation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), approved by FEC in 2020, was reversed.
The minister said the lack of agreements between partners that formed consortium delayed its take-off.
The project, which was approved on September 2, 2020 and awarded to Messrs E. Customs HC Project Limited, was for delivery in 36 months, and should have aided the agency’s operations via application of information and technology.
FEC equally okayed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purchase of 82 Toyota vehicles, branded raincoats and sundry accoutrements for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) at N8,315,209,825.
The pact followed approval for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund to award contracts for the supply of sundry accoutrements for efficient operations of the force.
Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, who briefed newsmen, explained that the approval included supply of customised raincoats to police formations nationwide at the cost of N1.9 billion besides N576 million customised boots for officers.
He went on: “We also got approval for the supply of micro first aid kits for the police at the cost of N1 billion, as well as customised instructional materials for police colleges and schools at the cost of N664 million. There is also the supply of drugs and medical equipment for police hospitals across the country at the cost of N2 billion. When you add all these projects, they will come up to N8,315,209,825 billion.”
Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, said the Council also approved a contract “to supply and instal emergency restoration system or 330KV and 132KV transmission line for ongoing rehabilitation works in Lagos at the sum of $968,818 as the offshore component. The onshore component is N7.393 million, and the contractor is Rab Power Industries Limited.”
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