The Federal Executive Council has approved a N2.1billion augmentation for five contracts at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
The approval was given at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who briefed the media after the meeting, said that the approval followed a memo presented at the meeting by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
He said that the Nnamdi Azikiwe University awarded the contracts between 2007 and 2015, but could not execute them due to lack of funding.
“The contract, which was then awarded at the sum of N2,513,991,695, due to contract variation, cost of materials etc., has now been jacked up to N4.6 billion.
“In other words, the federal government is making available to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University the sum of N2.1 billion to augment the contract, which it awarded between 2007 and 2015, but were unable to complete.”
He said that the five contracts were the construction of students’ hostels, Type D, at Awka, which was augmented in the sum of N120 million; construction of students’ hostel, Type A, at Nnewi, for which extra N385million has been provided; and the construction of students hostel, Type A, Awka for which an extra N104million has been provided.
Mohammed said that there was also the building for Physical Science and Biosciences in the sum of N1.2 billion, raising the contract sum from the original N983 million to N2.243 billion as well as the construction and completion of min-stadium complex in favour of another contractor, which was augmented with the sum of N510 million.
“It must be noted that these projects were earlier awarded by the Nnamdi Azikiwe University between 2007 and 2015 and they were unable to complete them.
“So they appealed to the Federal Ministry of Education and they were accommodated under what is called Needs Assessment.
“It’s one of the intervention funds that the Federal Ministry of Education makes available to assist educational institutions all over Nigeria.”
VC’s residence
The minister said that that the Ministry of Education presented another memo, seeking approval for the procurement of a landed property for the residence of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State.
“It means the university was purchasing a property in Dutse, which will serve as the official accommodation of the Vice Chancellor.
“After due process has been observed, including whether the seller has title and whether it was adequately covered by C-of-O, the Council approved that a property be purchased for the sum of N161,250,000 million, inclusive of 7.5% VAT, with the delivery period of two weeks for the official residence of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Dutse, Jigawa State.”
LAN infrastructure
Alhaji Lai Mohammmed also briefed the media on behalf of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who presented a memo at the cabinet, seeking approval for the award of contract for the provision of project management services for the implementation of the Local Area Network infrastructure, upgrade project.
He said the memo for LAN infrastructure was for identified ministries, departments and agencies.
The contract was approved in favour of Knowledge Resources Limited in the sum of N847,502,000, inclusive of 7.5% VAT to be delivered within a period of 12 months.
“Before now, Council had already, through an intervention project, approved money for the upgrade of infrastructure of the Land Area Networks, “he stated.
The minister added that the purpose of the project was to improve communication infrastructure between ministries, departments and agencies of government.
Lateefah Ibrahim
