GOODLUCK JONATHAN
The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the award of N1.95bn contract for the purchase of 150,000 collapsible transparent ballot boxes for the 2011 general elections.
Going by the sum, each of the ballot boxes to be supplied by Messrs Emchai Limited, will cost N13,000.
The N13,000 is, however, N5,250 less than the N18,250 which the commission spent on the same item in 2007.
Emchai, according to www.usafricaonline.com, is a civil, electrical, mechanical engineering and supply services company.
A newspaper report in September said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was working on petition alleging that Emchai conspired with the leadership of INEC under Prof. Maurice Iwu to supply transparent ballot boxes patented by Bedding Holding Ltd.
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, who briefed journalists after the council meeting in Abuja, explained that the N1.95bn was a part of the N3bn appropriated for the procurement in the 2010 supplementary budget.
He, however, did not say if the sum formed part of the N87.9bn budget prepared for the conduct of the poll by INEC.
When contacted by one of our correspondents, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said that the electoral body recommended the sum.
Idowu, “Yes, it was part of INEC’s submissions. Remember, FEC approved the contracts for he DDC Machines a few weeks ago.
“As for the cost, (why it is that high) I can’t comment on that.”
Aganga also disclosed that the 2011 budget might be sent to the National Assembly for consideration in the next two weeks.
“It (budget) will be ready within the next two weeks. We have several meetings today, tomorrow and next week. By next week, you will hear some information,” Aganga said.
He briefed journalists in company with the Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili; the Minister of Works, Senator Sanusi Dagash, the Minister of State( Power), Mallam Nuhu Wya; the Minister of State, (Communications), Labaran Maku; and Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Navy Capt. Olubolade Caleb (Retd.)
Akunyili, who was the first to brief journalists, said that FEC approved N18bn contracts for the construction of a 10- storey building for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters in Abuja and N11.41bn for power projects.
One of the power projects is the engineering, procurement and construction of the 173-kilometre Katsina-Kurfi-Dutsinma-Kankara-Malumfashi 132Kv double circuit transmission line in the sum of $12.43m and N1.31bn for compensation for a right of way .
The other is the engineering, procurement and construction of the 60-kilometre Daura-Dambattta 132Kv double circuit transmission at $3.89m plus N548.79m for right of way compensation.
The contract for the engineering, procurement and construction of the 45-kilometre Ganmo to Ogbomosho 132kv double circuit transmission line at the sum $4.52m is among those okayed by the council.
Three contracts were awarded for the Federal Capital Territory and they include the rehabilitation of the Gwagwalada-Dobi/Izom Road at N1.61bn.
Others are the contracts for the provision of engineering infrastructure in Maitama District, Abuja in the sum of N1.81bn and the 13-kilometre road from Kuje to Gaube at N1.3bn.
The council also approved the contract for the direct purchase of 31 truck mounted Bergkamp FP5 flameless potholes patchers was approved in the sum of N1.13bn.
Source:http://www.punchng.com
No comments:
Post a Comment