FG Okays N14.8bn Workers’ Insurance Cover, COVID-19 Oxygen Plants
The Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the disbursement of N9.2bn as premium for insurance companies who will manage group life insurance coverage for federal civil servants.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, at the end of the council’s weekly meeting.
Mohammed said, “On behalf of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, I will like to report that council today approved the award of contract for the appointment of insurance companies for group life assurance for Federal Government employees, public servants, paramilitary and the intelligence community for the year 2021-2022 in the sum of N9,248,995,907 and this premium is for 12 months.
“This is part of the government’s welfare programme for our public employees so that in case of death, they are assured that there would be compensation.”
He also revealed that N5.6bn was approved for the construction of oxygen production plants in all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
This, he said, would ramp up the nation’s oxygen reserves to enable it to mitigate a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The approval came days after the Presidential Steering Committee made the initial announcements about the initiative on Monday.
Mohammed who spoke on behalf of the Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire said, “The minister of health presented a memo, which was approved, for the emergency supply, installation and maintenance of oxygen production plants and construction of plant houses in each of the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.
“The contract was approved in the sum of N5,615,127,479 inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT, in favour of four different companies, with a completion period of 20 weeks.”
The council also okayed N1.1bn to procure aviation security uniforms and accessories to be used at the various airports across the country.
Mohammed said, “The minister of aviation got approval for the award of a contract for direct procurement for the design, manufacture and supply of aviation security uniforms and accessories.
“The total is N1.1bn. The unique thing about uniforms for the aviation industry is that it has some International Civil Aviation Organisation standards that would be followed.”
He added that the council also approved an additional N18.1bn for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, for major infrastructure projects in Kano and Calabar Free Trade Zones, as well as the Textile and Garment Park in Lagos and the Special Economic Zone, Lekki–Lagos.
According to Mohammed, this approval would be instrumental to the regime’s infrastructure development plan.
The information minister also announced that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs would receive N864.7m for two uncompleted road contracts from previous administrations.
He said, “The Minister of Niger Delta got approval for Okpula-Igwartanta Phase I linking Imo and Rivers State, started in 2010.
“He got an approval for a variation of N620,763,000. He also got approval for erosion flood control on Ndemili-Utagba-Onitsha Road in Delta State, which started in 2014.
“The council today approved N244m to augment the original contract sum.”
