Aso Villa Reads for 02/07/2020
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday approved about N20.4 billion for the extension of the runway at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, and construction of roads including cost reversion on two projects. The extension of the runway at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos is to gulp N2.2 billion, construction of roads in Abaji Area Council that links the FCT to Lokoja will cost N6.7 billion, while revision of project to aid completion of abandoned projects will cost N11 billion. Briefing journalists at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Minister of Aviation; Hadi Sirika said that the approval will serve as a revised estimated total cost for the project. According to him, “Today in Council, Aviation presented a memo for a revised estimated total cost for the extension and asphalt overlay of the Murtala Mohammed airport runway, which was rescoped to reconstruct and rehabilitate the taxiway bravo. The sum involved is N2, 272, 838, 724.84 and it has completion of twelve months.” He said that the extension and rehabilitation of the runway was essential for the city of Lagos, as it will improve the safety of the airport. Vanguard reported.
President Muhammadu Buhari has affirmed that the recently developed Economic Sustainability Plan, ESP, aimed at stimulating the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will extend protection to very poor Nigerians and other vulnerable groups through pro-poor spending. A statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, explained that the President spoke in a recorded video message to a virtual high-level UN meeting on trends, options and strategies in poverty eradication across the world. Adesina said that the event took place at UN headquarters in New York, Tuesday and that it also served as the official inauguration of the Alliance for Poverty Reduction (APE), an initiative of the President of the General Assembly, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande. Warning that COVID-19 pandemic risks reversing decades of progress achieved in the efforts to eradicate poverty globally, President Buhari apprised the UN meeting on steps to revive the nation’s economy in the wake of the pandemic. The statement quoted the President as saying: “It is my conviction that devoting our efforts towards human capital development, efficient management of our resources, greater financial inclusion and transformation of the agricultural sector to ensure food security are crucial to poverty eradication. In this regard, Nigeria continues to strengthen its existing social safety net initiative by increasing access to enrollees who fit the various programmes in the scheme. Nigeria will also continue to provide easier and increased access to financial services for micro and small-scale businesses through the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme. But we are determined to do more.” Vanguard reports.
Punch reports that the Federal Government on Wednesday says there is no plan to restart international flight operations at the moment. The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known via his official Twitter handle. He explained that domestic flights, would, however, commence from July 8 with the Lagos and Abuja airports which would both open on the same date. Sirika noted that four other airports including Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri and Maiduguri would resume from July 11 while other airports would be open effective July 15. He wrote, “I am glad to announce that Abuja & Lagos airports will resume domestic operations on the 8th of July, 2020. Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri & Maiduguri to resume on the 11th. Other airports on the 15th. Date for international to be announced in due course. Bear with us.” The minister added that preventive protocols outlined by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation would be followed from passenger facilitation to flight operations. The country’s airspace and airports had been shut to flight operations in March to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs with a gross income of about N100m would be targeted yearly by the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA). This is as the Authority said it is already planning for food security and job creation to cushion the harsh effects of the pandemic. The Authority said it was working in line with the policy of President Mohammadu Buhari in the area of food security, job and wealth creation for the teeming population of the youths of the Niger Delta region and by extension the generality of Nigerians. Disclosing this during a media tour of some of the ongoing projects of the Authority in Kpon community of Khana local government area of Rivers State, the project manager, Kobo Nekabari Marklin, said that at the completion of the massive farm projects going on in the area, thousands of jobs would be created and sufficient food provided for the region’s sustenance. Marklin explained that following the acquisition of about 84 hectares of farmland with the cultivation of palm oil, hybrid citrus, hybrid dwarf mango, plantain and pawpaw plantations as well as poultry, fish ponds and other such agricultural products, he said the Authority was just on the path of becoming the food basket of the Niger Delta region. Business Day reported.
Nigerian Government on Wednesday announced the increase of petrol pump price from N121.50 to N140.80 per litre. In a statement by the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) the current retail price indicates a 18.50 increase as the agency recommended between N140.80 and N143.80 as the new retail band for a litre of petrol. “Please recall the provision for the establishment of a monthly price band within which petroleum marketers are expected to sell PMS at the retail stations, based on the existing price regime,” the statement said. “After a review of the prevailing market fundamentals in the month of June and considering marketers’ realistic operating costs, as much as practicable, we wish to advise a new PMS pump price band of N140.80 — N143.80/litre for the month of July 2020,” it added. The agency said that the new ex-depot price includes the statutory charges of bridging fund, marine transport average, national transport allowance (NTA) and the administrative charge. Guardian reported.
