• Designates P’Harcourt as hub for Ukraine grain
Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved N459 billion to facilitate completion of projects in the Ministry of Transportation and construction of barracks for personnel of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Specifically, the contracts are for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to construct and supply customised fire service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims at the cost of N510,934,600, as well as procurement of rolling stock operation and maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line at $984,722,392.
Briefing newsmen after the council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, confirmed that memoranda were presented on behalf of two agencies under him.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said construction of the NDLEA barracks would cost N5,157,265,770, stressing the need to provide officers with security due to threat they constantly face from drug barons.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Abubakar, on his part, said his ministry presented a memo on the revised 2022 National Agricultural Seed Policy. He observed that the country has been operating the 2010 policy, first revised in 2015, before the last revision last year.
According to him, the review is necessitated by the need for improved seeds. Fielding questions from reporters, Abubakar said Port Harcourt had been selected as hub for the 25,000 metric tons of wheat being expected from Ukraine, just as Russia has also extended its supply of grains to the country under a United Nations arrangement.
The minister noted that the wheat consignment from Ukraine was already on the high sea, even as he expressed hope that the hub would boost economic activities in the area.
