The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N66.9 billion for the rehabilitation of Kashimbila-Takum-Chanchangi road in Taraba State.

The Council also approved N23.9 billion for the procurement of equipment for some airports.

The Ministers of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, made these known when they briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the council’s meeting.

The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Fashola said: “The Ministry of Works and Housing presented one memorandum and it was for the rehabilitation of the 91.94 kilometre Kashimbila-Takum-Chanchangi road in Taraba State and council approved the proposal by the ministry in the sum of N66.983 billion.”

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According to him, the project will help boost the transportation network in Taraba and the entire North-East zone.

On his part, Mohammed disclosed that the council approved N23.9 billion for the procurement of equipment for some airports across the country.

He said the equipment to be procured include radio communication system for some control towers and instrument landing systems for some airports.

Mohammed said: “The Minister of Aviation presented two memos, one was for the award of contract for the upgrade of 12 airports tower voice communication and control system radio for 12 airports located in Akure, Benin, Calabar, Ibadan, Ilorin, Jos, Minna, Owerri, Sokoto, Yola, Kaduna and Enugu.

“The contract was for the sum of N9.988 billion with a completion period of 13 months.

“As you are aware, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has a statutory mandate to enhance safety and security of the Nigerian airspace and it is in line with this that it sought to upgrade 12 air control towers voice and communication control system.”

The minister said the communication tower had to be upgraded to enhance better performance in the 12 airports in conferment with technological advancements and aviation industry’s best practices.

He said that N14 billion for the procurement of instrument landing systems for Lagos Abuja, Katsina and Port Harcourt airports.

“The Ministry of Aviation also sought and obtained approval for the award of contract for the procurement and installation of air field lighting category three instrument landing systems in Lagos, Abuja, Katsina and Port Harcourt airports.

“This has to do with safety. The memo was approved and contract was awarded in the sum of N14,036,000,000.

“This is in a bid to carryout statutory mandate of developing and managing all relevant aviation services for safe secure and efficient carriage of passengers and goods,” he said.

He said that the move was necessitated by the recent increase in the fleet of passengers across the four airports.

The Star