President Effects Minor Cabinet Reshuffle

AS a fall out of the resignation early this week by seven cabinet ministers, President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday announced a minor reshuffle in the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Under the new arrangement, the Minister of State II in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed has been assigned to oversee the Ministry of Information to in the place of Mr. Labaran Maku.

Similarly, his former counterpart in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Prof. Viola Onwuliri was moved from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to replace Mr. Nyesom Wike as Minister of State for Education while the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki ( SAN) was assigned the Ministry of Labour and Productivity as supervising minister following the exit of Mr. Emeka Wogu.

The Minister of Defence, Lt. General Aliyu Gusau (rtd) will now oversee the affairs of the Ministry of Defence; Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, Minister of State for Health will now take over full responsibility as Minister of Health following the resignation of Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.

President Jonathan also assigned Dr. Olusegun Aganga to take over full responsibility of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment with the exit of Dr. Samuel Ortom.

The Minister of Niger Delta Dr. Stephen Oru has also been directed to take over full supervision of the ministry in substantive capacity as a result of the exit of Darius Jonathan Ishaku.

Mohammed told State House correspondents that the council had approved the sum of N165.2 billion for the award of contract for the construction of the East-West Road Section V covering Oron-Calabar) phase 1in Akwa Ibom/Cross River States.

FEC also okayed proposals for the award of contracts for the supervision of construction of Calabar-Oba-Nsan-Okoroba-Ajasor road (Section 1) in Cross River State and construction of road/drainage at Mbaise Ring Road intersecting Owerri-Umahia road in Imo State, both to the tune of over N212. 8 million.

The approvals followed the submission of the memorandum by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Steven Oruh to FEC. The minister noted that on completion of the projects, the expansion of the all -important East-West roads in the Niger Delta region would open up both commercial and other vehicular activities in the areas.

According to Mohammed, "The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs brought a memorandum to seek Council's ratification of the President's anticipatory approval for the award of contract for the construction of phase 1, section V of the East West road, beginning from Uyo/ Oron Roundabout in Akwa Ibom State to Calabar - Odukpani road in Calabar, Criss Rivers State.

On the second leg of the awards, Oruh said, "After the adoption of the previous conclusion, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs presented a memorandum to seek Council's approval for the award of contract for the supervision of the construction of Calabar-Oban-Nsan-Okoroba-Ajasor road (Section1) in Cross River State and the construction of Mbaise Ring Road intersecting Owerri road in Imo State.

The projects upon completion will enhance the spread of infrastructure development across the entire Niger Delta region. After deliberations, Council approved the award of the two contracts for the supervision of the projects in favor of the two construction firms."

The Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka also briefed the press of the approval by FEC for the award of contract for the supply and installation of a full Jet-Flight Simulator (5000 Series B737) with complete accessories for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria to be located at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

According to him, the project would serve a dual purpose, first as serving as a training facility for the college and a source of revenue generation for the country. In addition, it is being used for the initial training of students as it will enjoy the patronage of the commercial airliners in Nigeria and the West African coast in the recurrent training of their jet-airliner pilots in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization, (ICAO) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulations that pilots must have refresher training every six months.

He noted that project would be funded from the sum of N3.341million provided in the 2014 Appropriation of the Ministry for the "Procurement of Simulator" for the NCAT Zaria, while the balance will come from the NCAT's 2015 Budget.

Other approvals made by the Council at its sitting Wednesday, according to Mohammed included a memo by the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo presented a memorandum to seek council's approval for the purchase of a building situated at plot 187, Housing Area B, new Owerri, Imo state as Zonal Office for the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission ( NERC) .

In the same vein, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Segun Aganga brought a memorandum to seek Council's approval for the award of contract to the appointment of a Transaction Adviser for the rehabilitation of the Independence Building for the National Trade and International Business Centre (NITBC) project in Lagos State.

He said the provision of office accommodation would enable NERC to effectively perform its regulatory function in the zone as there are provision of 565,127,793.08 in the NERC's 2014 appropriation.

"Therefore, after due consideration, council approved the awards of contract for the purchase of Zonal Office Building situated at Plot 187, Housing Area B new Owerri, Imo state for the NERC in favour of Messrs. Chukwuemeka Okoli and associates in the sum of N131,969,250, inclusive five percent agency and five percent VAT, " he added.

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