ZUL-HAJJ 1 1430 A.H.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER . 19 2009.
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FEC approves N21.6bn for 166 MDGs projects
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N21.6billion for the execution of 166 Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) projects and programmes in 31 states.
The minister of information and communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, stated this while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the weekly FEC meeting presided over by President Umaru Musa Yar’adua in Abuja.
She said following the president's memo on release of funds for 2009 MDGs projects, Council approved the release of N21, 630,978,859 to successful states under the 2009 Conditional Grants Scheme.
The minister said Council approved N438 million for extension of services for the National Management Consultancy for the Quick Wins MDGs projects.
She said the extension had become necessary as a result of unforeseen challenges associated with the procurement and implementation of the 2008 project.
The minister said the challenges made the projected completion date of June 2009 unrealistic.
Akunyili further said that the Council approved the ratification of the Niger Basin Authority Water Charter.
She said the Charter, as adopted and signed in 2008, provided for the implementation of the shared vision of member states by encouraging cooperation.
The minister said cooperation among member states was based on reci
procity for sustainable, equitable and coordinated use of the Niger Basin water resources.
`` It provides that party-states should separately and, if necessary, jointly take measures considered expedient to prevent, control and reduce any trans-border impact.
`` The Charter also provides for the party states to exchange information and consult one another, and if necessary negotiate on possible effects of programmes or projects planned on the Niger-Basin International Water Courses,'' she said.
She said the Attorney General of the Federation would prepare the instrument of ratification of the Charter and forward it to the National Assembly for further action.
The council, she said, also approved the submission of the National Metallurgical Training Institute Onitsha Bill 2009 to the National Assembly for action.
Also contributing, the minister of mines and steel development, Diezani Allison-Maduekwe, said Nigeria was losing an average of N10 billion to illegal miners annually.
She also dismissed the allegation that the $120 million loan granted to Nigeria for steel development by the World Bank was mismanaged.
