The federal executive council (FEC) yesterday approved the sum of N495 million for the installation of scanners in all the railway stations across the country.
The minister of state for transportation, Mr. Ademola Adegoroye, disclosed this to journalists after the FEC meeting held at Presidential Villa, Abuja and presided over by the vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
He said the installation would strengthen security at the railway stations.
“The federal ministry of transportation had two memos today, which I presented on behalf of the ministry; one had to do with the provision of scanners at all railway stations all over the country.
“You will all agree with me that in view of the importance of the security of lives and property such equipment has to be installed at our railway stations.
“We are starting the railway’s revolution; we are trying to put in place a lot of things in the railways; we don’t want people to come and damage all that the government has been trying to put in place in that sector.
“So, today (yesterday), there was a memo before the council for the provision of baggage scanners at railway stations and I am happy to inform you that the council agreed with us and approved that contract for scanners to be installed at railway stations.
“When people get there and they have goods, they can pass through the scanners and we can be sure that there is nothing that can cause violence or inflicts danger or puts lives and property at stake,’’ he said.
The minister said the second memo had to do with the provision of towage services at the ports.
He said the Lekki Deep Sea Port was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari recently.
Adegoroye said one of the statutory responsibilities of the Nigerian Ports Authority was the provision of marine services, being the regulatory agency in that sector.
“So, because of the new Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Dangote Jetty, the need has arisen for a company that can carry out towage services to make things a lot easier and more effortless in the ports.
“Ship berthing will be easier; discharge of goods will be a lot easier; of course, there was the argument that why would the company that provides such services at Apapa Port and Lagos TinCan Island Port not do it.
“We think that it will overstretch that company and because it would overstretch them, they will not be able to cope; they may not have the capacity to cope.
“Secondly, we want the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Dangote Jetty to be able to perform maximally.
“So, FEC agreed with us and has given a 10-year concession to that company, Messrs Alcuff, to carry out towage services at the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Dangote Jetty,’’ he said.
Also briefing journalists, the minister of works and housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said FEC approved the sum of N49 billion being the revised sum for the old Enugu-Onitsha road project.
Fashola said his ministry sought and obtained two approvals from the council.
“We presented two memoranda to the council; both were approved; the first is with regards to contract cost revision by way of augmentation for the old Enugu-Onitsha road from Opi junction to Udi-Oji to Anambra border in Enugu State.
“The augmentation was in the sum of N17 billion which revised the contract sum to N49 billion with an additional completion time of 42 months,” he said.
The minister said the second contract was a fresh contract for the maintenance of the pavement of the third mainland bridge.
He said that maintenance would address public concerns about the presence of potholes on the bridge.
“And this was approved in the sum of N6.3 billion for 24 months.
“This is in consonance with the Executive Order 11 signed by the president for the continued maintenance of public infrastructure.
“This contract responds to the questions on potholes that have become manifest on the entire pavement of the deck of the bridge spanning 11 eleven kilometres and the interchanges—Adeniji Adele, Adekunle and Gbagada ramps that all link the bridge; this is for the resurfacing of all that.
“Those who are familiar with the bridge will recall that all of these failures were not this manifest on the bridge as at the time we did some work; and the work that we did concentrated largely on the sub-structure of the bridge—the piles, the underwater piles; the pile caps and also the replacement of the expansion joints and the bearings.’’
According to him, the maintenance works are critical to the structural integrity of the bridge.
He said the maintenance work would restore the driving surface and the aesthetics.
“Some of the rails that have been stolen, some of the planes that have misaligned at the ramps lead you on and off the bridge.
So, this is the work that is being done now; so all the experience, avoiding potholes on the bridge; this project will tackle that,’’ he added.
With NAN report
