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| Last Updated: Jan 19th, 2012 - 11:25:19 |
Food Security
FEC approves budget implementation procedures,food security strategies.
Nov 6, 2008, 16:08
| | The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on November 5, 2008 gave approval to certain procedures that would aid the realization of the 2008 budget and successive ones.
This is just as it endorsed a structure for the implementation of the National Food Security Programme which would be centered on guaranteeing food security, wealth creation and national security.
The Council also approved the 2008 revised National Action Plan for the promotion and protection of Human Rights in Nigeria, towards which approval was also given for the publication of 100,000 hard and electronic copies of the National Action Plan for distribution to all federal ministries and parastatals.
Briefing State House reporters after the Council meeting presided over by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Minister of Information and Communication, Mr. John Odey, together with his counterparts in Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, and Agriculture/Water Resources, Dr. Abba Ruma explained that Council approved the implementation of measures recommended by the Ministerial Committee it set up to review the methods of budget execution and the need to fast-track the processes.
Mr. Odey said: "Council at one of its meetings has frowned on the slow pace of budget implementation by MDAs. Council subsequently set up a 10-member Committee with Head of Service of the Federation as Chairman to study the budget implementation process and review procurement procedures and practices and make recommendation on way to eliminate bottlenecks and hindrance so as to fast-track the process.
The committee after its analysis identified five major causes of delay in budget implementation by MDAs to include lack of understanding of guiding laws and regulations, delays caused in obtaining approvals of the process, delays in processing of payments, challenges in documentation and delays in processing memos to council”.
"The committee recommended that in order to fast-track budget implementation in the MDAs, contractors should be paid within two weeks from the time approval is granted by accounting officers; there should be training and re-training of procurement officers. That the BPE should prepare and publish manual which will explain to officials the various ways and methods of expediting the processing of contracts as provided in the extant laws and guidelines. Council consequently approved the recommendation of the Committee for implementation in order to fast-track budget implementation”, the Information Minister added.
He further said that Council endorsed the purchase of residential accommodation for officers and men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the sum of N210, 519,239.13. This include eight numbers of two bedroom flats and nine numbers of one bedroom flats at Mararaba FCT, in the sum of N74,791,614,40, inclusive of VAT; as well as a mini-estate of six numbers of three bedroom flats and six numbers of one room servant quarters at Utako FCT, in the sum of N135,727,624.73 inclusive of VAT.
He noted that “Council during deliberations saw the need to provide these accommodations in order to enhance security of the officers deployed to FCT, 80 per cent of who presently live in rented quarters”.
The Minister also stated that Council approved the award of a N2,999,719,450 million contract for the provision of bandwidth,connectivity and other Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure and services to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government of Nigeria in favour of Galaxy Backbone Plc.The sum of N3 billion has been provided for this in the 2008 budget.
Dr. Abba Ruma, speaking on National Food Security told reporters that Council had earlier approved the strategies for averting food crisis, stressing that the new programme is to ensure sustainable access, availability and affordability of quality food to all Nigerians and for Nigeria to become a significant net provider of food to the global community.
The strategies developed, according to the Agriculture Minister are “to achieve goals in area of food production, storage, processing, marketing, research and development and cross-cutting issues. The strategies also involve short term, medium and long term measures with emphasis on completion of silos and the institution of a guaranteed minimum price for all agricultural products."
On his part, Chief Ojo Maduekwe said that apart from the approval of the 2008 revised National Action Plan (NAP), “the Council also approved the deposit/lodgment of copies of the updated Action Plan in the office of the UN Human Rights Council. It also approved that all government MDAs should obtain copies of the NAP for promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria from the National Human Rights Commission."
The Foreign Affairs Minister said that approval was also given for the gazetting of the harmonized procedures and operational guidelines for the Tinapa Business and Tourism Resort Free Trade Zone.
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