NEWS
FCTA Allocates N9.8bn To Upgrade Abuja Airport’s Presidential Wing
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has approved N9.8 billion for the rehabilitation of key roads and facilities at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The contract has been awarded to Julius Berger Plc, following the decision made during the FCTA’s 9th Executive Council meeting, held Friday at the FCT Secretariat.
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The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Shehu Ahmad, who spoke to the press after the meeting on Friday, confirmed that the contract, valued at N9,874,326,036.10, includes a completion deadline of six months.
Ahmad noted that Julius Berger, which had previously managed the facility, will lead the comprehensive rehabilitation effort, addressing multiple critical areas within the Presidential Wing.
“The second memo presented by the FCDA concerns some rehabilitation work, specifically the construction of the existing link road from Bill Clinton Drive to the Presidential Wing.
“If you have travelled that road, you would know it is in a state of disrepair, and other facilities within the Presidential Wing have shown signs of distress and dilapidation, so they are to be rehabilitated,” Ahmad explained.
“There is a presidential kitchen located within the Presidential Wing, but there is no access road from the main road to this area. We plan to provide that road and also rehabilitate the hangar housing the presidential aircraft.”
Additional upgrades are expected to include the Presidential Wing’s runway lights and a guest house designed as a holding center for visiting presidents and dignitaries.
Ahmad emphasized that the improvements would modernize infrastructure vital to the Presidential Wing’s operations.
In addition to the airport rehabilitation project, the Council approved a series of infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing Abuja’s road network.
Among these is a N7.8 billion contract to construct an access road to the new site of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Giri.
The contract was awarded to Levant Construction Limited, with a nine-month deadline for completion.
Other infrastructure projects approved include a N7.22 billion contract awarded to Planet Projects Limited for constructing access roads to Kugbo and Mabushi Bus/Taxi Terminals, expected to be completed within 12 weeks.
Additionally, Austlinks Energy Services Limited received a contract valued at N2.19 billion for the design and construction of ten staff quarters for the Nigeria Law School in Bwari, with a completion period of nine months.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.
To address Nigeria’s ₦9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year, the Senate has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to secure a ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2 billion) loan.
The decision was made during Thursday’s plenary session, where a voice vote confirmed the approval following the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.
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Chaired by Senator Wammako Magatarkada (APC, Sokoto North), the committee endorsed the loan request as a vital step in managing the country’s fiscal challenges.
Recall that President Tinubu had submitted the proposal earlier in the week, outlining the loan as a crucial component of his administration’s external borrowing strategy.
Details shortly…………..
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