Arakunle kayode
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved contracts worth N1.59 trillion for the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to purchase 16 patrol boats and 427 operating vehicles, as well as the expansion of the University of Ibadan (UI) Library and construction of a new Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office complex at Ilupeju, Lagos.
The contracts were approved by the Council at its 47th weekly virtual meeting on Wednesday 14 of March 2021 at the Presidential Villa in Abuja presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Zainab Ahmed the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba the Minister of State for Education, gave a rundown of the contracts awarded after the meeting to reporters.
 She stated that FEC approved all memos submitted by her ministry, including the procurement of operational vehicles and speed boats for the NIS, as well as the building of an office complex for the FIRS. She listed the approved contracts, which included the construction of a N539.2 billion FIRS building at Ilupeju, Lagos, with a 52-week completion date and the design, construction and supply of two NC36M Customs patrol boats for N5.06 billion with a 12-month delivery period.
The design of fabrication and supply of seven assault patrol boats and seven standard patrol boats for a total cost of N501.47 billion with an eight-week delivery period, and the procurement of 427 patrol vehicles for the NIS at a total cost of N14.5 billion with a four-month delivery period she said.
The minister said the aim of the purchase of two types of patrol boats is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations of the Nigerian Customs Service in its bid to control smuggling and also ensure enhanced efficiency in all customs duty operations in the Nigerian Customs Service’s Marine Unit
The Minister of State for Education, on his part, stated that the FEC had approved the award of a N532.6 million contract for the construction and furnishing of UI’s library extension, with a 48-week completion date.
Nwajiuba justified the need for the UI library’s expansion by citing a rise in the number of students using the library.
He said the library of The University of Ibadan had needed real expansion for many years to consider the surge in the student population. In addition to two reading areas, the expansion project will include two suspended floors, two online reading areas, three cubicles, one physically disabled reading area, and other six staff offices, one control room, general quarters, shops, four e-libraries, a coffee room, a media unit room, one galaxy display room, and a journal publishing unit.
