The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved over N2 billion for the purchase of cattle to boost animal production in Taraba and N56.3 billion for the completion of the Abaji-Koton Karfe section of the Abuja-Lokoja highway

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said these after that Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday in Abuja

Sadiya Farouq said “The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development submitted two memos.

“One was for the revised estimated total cost for the supply of cattle for Taraba State under the Emergency Agricultural Intervention Programme for states that were affected by conflict and insecurity.

“The approval we got was in the tune of two billion, some millions thereabout.”

She added that the Council also approved the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking, 2022-2026.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, revealed that the approval was for the re-award of contract for the 49 kilometre section of the road due to non-performance by the former contractor.

He said: “The Ministry of Works and Housing submitted two memoranda. The first was for the termination and re-award of the 49 kilometres section of Abaji to Koton karfe, which is part of the Abuja-Lokoja highway.

“It was awarded for N56.175 billion. Hopefully, this should facilitate the completion of that critical highway, which started in 2006,” he said.

He also revealed that the council approved over N250 million revised cost for the completion of Aboto Alfa road, linking Kwara and Oyo States.

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“The second memo was for the revision of the contract for some of the Aboto Alfa -Oyo boundary road in Kwara.

“The revision was by the sum of N251,530,000 which revised the contract sum from N3,060,000,000 to N3,311,000,000 to enable the contractor make provision for drains to replace unsuitable material and to reconstruct damaged shoulders of the road, as well as accommodate some variation in price.

“The memo was also approved,” he added.