Aso Villa Reads for 2/6/21.
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The Federal Government has approved 10.4 billion naira for infrastructure upgrade for the Federal Fire Service (FFS) to enable the service face the challenges of fire fighting in the country. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the unprecedented support accorded the Fire Service. Speaking during the inauguration of seven Fire Fighting Trucks and 20 Ambulances at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, Aregbesola said the Service would forever be grateful to the present administration. He said: “These equipments are part of the N10.4 billion infrastructure upgrade approved by the Federal Executive Council on March 3, comprising of 44 firefighting engines, 15 water tankers, 15 rapid intervention fire engines (not conventional ones) that can go into any nook and cranny to respond to distressed calls and 20 basic life support ambulances. “The ambulances in particular are an innovation to firefighting and the first time in the history of this country.” The Nation.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday gave the contractors handling the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway rehabilitation/reconstruction project May 2022 ultimatum to complete both the road and bridges. The House of Representatives Committee on Works, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kabir, gave the deadline during an oversight of roads in Lagos and the South West on Tuesday. The lawmakers decried the delay in the completion of the project, which started in 2013 but promised to resolve the funding issues slowing down the project. The lawmakers insisted that the bridges added to the original road project in 2018 must also be completed by 2022. The Nation
The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr. Muhammad Babandede, has extended the commencement of the new passport regime earlier scheduled for June 1 by one week. Spokesperson for the agency, Mr Amos Okpu, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday. The service had announced the suspension of receiving and processing of all fresh passport applications nationwide until June 1. The suspension was to allow for clearance of backlog of all passport applications received before May 17, as all backlogs were expected to be cleared by May 31. The Herald
The Federal Government has made an offer to increase hazard allowance for all health workers in government health establishments in the country. Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige said this while briefing newsmen at the end of a meeting between the Presidential Committee on Salaries(PSC), relevant Federal Government Stakeholders and Health Professional Association and Trade Unions on Wednesday in Abuja. GUARDIAN
The Federal Government has said a policy on the operations of artisanal refineries in the country would soon be unveiled. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Eta Enang, explained that the policy would guide the ownership as well as regulate the operations of artisanal refineries in the country. “We are still working on the policy that will regulate the operations of artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta. It will soon start”, he added. Besides, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has also said it was embarking on cut-cutting measures aimed at delivering optimum returns on its investment beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. THE GUARDIAN
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a National Policy on Virtual Engagements in Federal Public Institutions even as it commissioned an Emergency Communications Centre (ECC) and four more Digital Economy Centres across the country. Speaking at the event on Monday in Abuja, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami said that the policy will “institutionalise frameworks and standards within Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of governments as well as government-owned companies using virtual engagement as an administrative procedure in service and significantly reduce the cost of governance. THE GURADIAN
The federal government says 75 construction companies have submitted bids to be picked as concessionaires for 12 roads through the online portal under the first phase of the Highway Development Management Initiative (HDMI). HDMI is to develop and manage the federal road network through private sector investment, thus maximising the use of assets along the right of way. The 12 highways mapped out for concession by the federal government have a combined length of about 1,963km and represents less than 5.6 per cent of Nigeria’s 35,000km federal highway network. The federal government had officially opened the bidding process for the concession of 12 highways to the private sectors on Tuesday. THE CABLE
The Managing Director, Family Homes Fund (FHF), Mr Femi Adewole, says the company is perfecting the necessary agreement to kick-start the Federal Government National Social Housing Programme (NSHP). The NSHP is the housing component of the President Muhammadu Buhari Economic Sustainability Plan to deliver affordable housing and millions of jobs for Nigerians. Adewole told NAN that the enabling agreement to ensure the commencement of the programme had reached an advanced stage. “We expect that by the end of the week all the necessary enabling agreement for us to start funding the programme will have been completed. “You can expect to see a very accelerated start with a number of housing projects across all regions of the country. “The projects are already there, we have worked on them and know where they are, we are just awaiting funding,” he said. Adewole said the FHF was currently working with the state governments on the projects and would deliver 14,000 houses in the first tranche. NAN
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