Nigeria Content Online

The Federal
Executive Council yesterday approved N3.59 billion for the construction
of a modern and more befitting headquarters for the Code of Conduct
Bureau (CCB) in Abuja.

The nine-storey
building will cost N3.59 billion, although N594 million has been set
aside for it in the 2010 Budget. The balance will be appropriated for
as an ongoing project over the next two years, at N1.5 billion for 2011
and 2012.

Minister of
Information and Communications, Dora Akunyili, disclosed this while
briefing alongside the minister of state, Labaran Maku, after the 29th
session of the FEC meeting, which was chaired by Goodluck Jonathan.

She said the
president had “presented a memo to FEC seeking for approval for the
award of contract for the construction of one block of nine-storey
office complex as headquarters for the code of Conduct Bureau in Abuja”.

According to her, “the present office space for the Code of Conduct Bureau is grossly inadequate”.

The nine-storey
headquarters building to be completed in 26 months is expected “to
decongest the present overcrowded office and end separation of staff at
the annex complex”, she noted.

A boost for education

The FEC also
approved N1.71 billion for the purchase and supply of Primary 6 English
language, mathematics and science textbooks for distribution in public
schools nationwide.

The project will be
funded by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) from the 2010
supplementary budget under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
textbooks initiative for the procurement of textbooks.

Mrs Akunyili said
the contract will be funded by UBEC, for which N438.6 million has
already been earmarked in its 2010 Supplementary Budget 2010, as part
of its efforts to meet the MDG’s textbooks initiative of the UBEC.

The minister of
education had gone to the FEC with a memo “seeking council’s approval
for the award of contract for the printing and distribution of English
language, mathematics and activity-based science books for Primary 6
pupils in public primary schools nationwide, under the MDG’s textbook
initiative by UBEC”.

Mrs Akunyili stated
that “in efforts to consolidate on the achievements made in the
provision of textbooks to public primary schools, the federal
government appropriated N4 billion under the MDGs Textbooks Initiative
for the procurement of textbooks for pupils in public schools
nationwide.

“The textbooks will be customized with the inscription: “MDGs-UBEC TEXTBOOK INITIATIVE 2010 – NOT FOR SALE”.

The contract is awarded to a total of seven companies, with a completion period of six weeks.

The FEC also
approved the ratification of the extension of contract for operation,
maintenance and staff training for the Wupa Basic Sewage Treatment
Plant in Abuja which was commissioned in May 2007. The 12-month
contract valued at N733.31 million is to be funded from the N800
million provision made in the FCT Statutory Appropriation for the
maintenance of the plant.

Mrs Akunyili said the extension of the one-year contract will “allow
sufficient time for the development of local expertise to grasp the
rudiments of the operation and maintenance of the plant”.