 |
| Search |
|
|
|
|
| Last Updated: Jan 19th, 2012 - 11:25:19 |
Federal Executive Council
FEC prioritizes development planning, extends retirement age of university teachers
Aug 26, 2010, 14:03
| | In a bid to facilitate the achievement of vision 20:2020, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, August 25, approved a draft bill for an act to make development planning compulsory for all tiers of government.
The meeting was presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The draft bill, presented by the National Planning Minister; Dr Shamsudeen Usman, proposed N32 trillion investment requirement for the first implementation plan (2010 to 2013) of the Vision, which is intended to make Nigeria one of the top 20 economies in the world by the year 2020.
Minister of State for Information and Communications, Mr Labaran Maku, who briefed the media at the end of the meeting also disclosed that while the second phase is from 2014 to 2017; the third phase is from 2018 to 2020, and noted that in developing the Plan, close attention was paid to ‘what went wrong’ and ‘what do we need to do differently’.
He stated that a “Draft bill for an Act to make development planning compulsory for all tiers of government in Nigeria” has been prepared to ensure consistency in the implementation of the Plan among different levels of government.
The Minister said that budgetary processes and reforms are very vital for achieving the plan steps being taken to integrate the Vision 20:2020 and the annual budget.
He stated that the Council has also resolved that while the draft legislation is being forwarded to the President for onward transmission to the National Assembly for passage into law to enable the implementation of the Plan, state governors would forward same to the respective state Houses of Assembly for necessary action.
Council also approved the extension of the retirement age from 65 to 70 years for professors and 60 to 65 years for the non academic staff in the universities. Council also approved contracts for the procurement of fertilizers, road rehabilitation, up-grade of power infrastructures amongst others.
The minister said the extension was part of several demands of the university unions, which the Federal Government agreed to implement to restore peace in the university system.
He stated that extension was sequel to a memo brought by the Education Minister to Council seeking approval for
the amendment of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No.11
of 1993, as amended in order to provide for the extension of the
retirement age of the professorial cadre from 65 to 70 years and the
non-academic staff from 60 to 65 years in all Federal Universities.
He recalled that in December 2006, the Federal Government inaugurated the
Re-Negotiation Committee of FGN/Staff Unions of universities under the
chairmanship of Mr Gamaliel Onosode to re-negotiate the 2001 FGN/Unions Agreement in the university sub-sector.
He added that on October 21, 2009 and November 5, 2009, the chairmen of the FGN/ASUU/SSANU/ NASU/ Negotiation teams and the Pro-Chancellor, University of Lagos had respectively signed the 2009 agreement with the President of the four unions.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had vetted the bill and issued a letter of “No Objection” to present the bill to Council and that the council considered and approved the amendment of the Universities Act No 11 of 1993 to provide for the extension of the retirement age for professors and non-academic staff which would be forwarded to the National Assembly for passage into a law before it became effective.
FEC also approved the contract for the procurement and supply of 900,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser in the sum of N89.3 billion to 30 companies for immediate delivery to the 36 states of the federation and the FCT at a subsidy of 25 per cent for the 2010 farming season.
The minister who noted that the provision of the fertilizers was to ensure that the remaining months of the rainy season are not woeful for farmers, explained that the council ratified that the sum of N89.3 billion be sourced from the Special Intervention Fund for Agriculture (SIFA).
He said that the budgetary provision of the 25 per cent subsidy on the fertilizer, amounting to N22.3 billion was inadvertently omitted in the 2010 Appropriation Act; even though the omission is to be borne by the Federal Government.
In an effort to improve the embarrassing power situation which in recent times led to total blackouts at the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Council approved the augmentation of contract for the complete power upgrade at the sum of N7.7 billion.
This involves the complete replacement of the entire power
infrastructure at the 32-year old international airport, adding that the process
started in 2009 at the cost of N5 billion with N1 billion appropriated for the project in 2009 appropriated bill.
The Minister noted that in furtherance of the current administration’s commitment to the rehabilitation of roads and construction of new ones, FEC considered and approved the award of nine contracts for the construction and rehabilitation of federal roads and bridges in all the geopolitical zone of the country.
This is in the sum of N65.36 billion and has been awarded to various contractors with their specific completion dates as follows:
• The rehabilitation of Lafia-Obi-Awe-Tunga Road in Nassarawa State contracted to Messrs Triacta at the cost of N4.2 billion, to be completed in 24 months.
• The rehabilitation of Jebba Bridge in Kwara State contracted to Messrs Borni Prono at the cost of N1.35 billion to be completed in 9 months.
• The rehabilitation of Pokistum-Udubo-Gamawa-Tatagum-Gamayin Road Sections II and III in Yobe and Bauchi awarded to Messrs Mothercat Ltd at the cost of N2.2 billion for completion in 30 months.
• The rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of Bauchi-Dass-Tafawa Balewa Road in Bauchi awarded to Messrs Triacta at the cost of N4.25 billion for completion in 24 months.
• The rehabilitation of Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gamboru Road Section II: Dikwa-Gamboru in Borno State awarded to Messrs CGC (Nig) Ltd at a cost of N4.5 billion to be completed in 24 months.
• The rehabilitation and Asphalt Overlay of Nana-Shira-Azare Road in Bauchi awarded to Messrs Mothercat Ltd at the sum of N1.125 billion for completion in 9 months.
• The Construction of Damasak-Dutse (Nig)-Diffa (Niger Republic) Road in Borno State awarded to CGC (Nig) Ltd at the cost of N3.5 billion for completion in 24 months.
• The rehabilitation of Hadejia-Nguru Road Phase II: Kirikasamma-Nguru in Jigawa State awarded to Messrs Mothercat Ltd at the cost of N31.15 billion for completion in 32 months.
• The rehabilitation of Oji-Achi-Obeagu-Mmaku-Agwu Ndeaboh-Mpu-Okpanupu in Enugu and Ebonyi States awarded to Messrs Setraco Nig. Ltd at the cost of N2 billion for completion in 24 months.
The Minister stated further that in a bid to sanitise the system of tax administration in the country, Council granted approval for the contract for the design, supply and
implementation of the Unique Tax-payer Identification Number (UTIN)
infrastructure and systems at the cost of $22.6 million and
N40.6 million VAT inclusive.
He explained that the UTIN which was initiated by the Joint Tax Board (JTB) is intended to register all
tax-payers and issue personal identification number that will uniquely identify
tax-payer. This he noted is to provide central database of all taxpayers and facilitate tax
administration by tax authorities adding that state governments have agreed to contribute to the funding of the project.
© Copyright 2012 nigeriafirst.org
Top of Page |
|
