The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved over N47.8 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of 13 federal roads across the country.
Briefing state house correspondents on the approvals, the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolemeimen said that the road networks were critical to the socio-economic development of the nation as they serve various agricultural communities and link major industries and tourist locations in the country.
According to the minister, contracts for the rehabilitation of roads in Mbaise-Ngwa in Imo State, Abiriba-Arochukwu-Ohafia in Abia State, Makurdi-Gboko in Benue State and Sokoto-Makera road in Sokoto State were amongst those that were awarded.
Training 22,000 police officers
It was the turn of the Ministry of Police Affairs to defend its performance last year in line with the performance contract the ministers signed with President Goodluck Jonathan to deliver or be removed.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, who said he could not divulge all the strategies being adopted for security reasons, stated that over 20,000 police men had benefited from training at home and abroad. The trainings, according to him, were geared towards reinforcing the government’s efforts in fighting terrorism in the country.
The Minister of Police noted that despite the challenges in 2012, the ministry was able to equip the police. He appealed to Nigerians to avail the security agents with information that will help them prevent crime.
Also making his presentation, the Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Mohammed Sada said that his ministry had developed a private sector-led reform that would bring the solid minerals sector at per with the oil sector.
Mr. Sada said among other achievements, the necessary data required to enable investors tap into the solid minerals sector was being assembled.
FEC also approved the production of a multi-user satellite map for survey and security, covering all major towns in the country, a task that was handed to the Works and the Science and Technology Ministries.
