The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday, approved N26.7b to facilitate the execution of projects under the ministries of Information and Culture, Communication and Digital Economy, as well as Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
Presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, the FEC also approved a new National Policy on Aging.
Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said about N8.4 billion was approved for his ministry for the implementation of Damaturu Water Supply Scheme in Yobe State.
Adamu, who said the project would be completed in 24 months, added that the approval would help address water supply challenges in the state, which he said, were caused mainly by insurgency.
“I presented a memo for the construction of Damaturu Water Supply Project in Yobe State for three contractors at N8.43b. The contracts are all groundwater or borehole projects spread over a wide distance because they are covering three major cities.
“They will be mostly solar based and they are in response to the critical needs of these localities within Yobe State, especially as they have been suffering because these areas affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.
“These are high Sahelian region where surface water is difficult to come by, so, we hope that by this intervention, the water supply in these locations would be enhanced.”
Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, disclosed that the council approved about N8.9b for a new National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Park in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja to coordinate public and private ICT hubs across the country.
He also revealed that the Federal Government would soon release timelines for the replacement of Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) with National Identity Numbers (NINs) in bank accounts.
On his part, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the FEC approved N9.43b to complete the digital switch over, which had previously missed the deadline set for implementation.
He said council also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the ministry and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Bankers Committee for the renovation of the National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos.
