By Daniel Idonor
ABUJA—THE weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday approved N3.9 billion for the furnishing of the newly-built corporate headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, in preparation for the next African Union (AU), meeting to be hosted by Nigeria, next year.
This followed a memo to the council from the minister, Chief Ojo Madueke.
The government, also yesterday, announced that of the N19.5bn Special Intervention Fund for the country’s aviation sector by former President Obasanjo’s administration to salvage the ailing sector in 2005, only N3.5 billion was left for the Yar’Adua government.
The FEC meeting was presided over by Vice- President Goodluck Jonathan, following the visit of President Umaru Yar’Adua to Rome for the G-8 Summit.
It also approved a memo from the Ministry of Aviation seeking the endorsement of the supply of nine E-One Force –P711 (6×6) Triple Agent Airport Fire Crash Tenders for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for 7,451 euros plus $163.459 million (about N1.3 billion).
The Minister of Information and Communications, Mrs. Dora AAkunyili, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said: “Council considered the memo from the Foreign Affairs Minister on the request for approval for the furnishing of the ministry’s new headquarters complex in Abuja.
“In view of the strategic and important role the ministry plays in conducting Nigeria’s foreign relations and following deliberations on the memo, council considered and approved the award of contract for the furnishing of the ministry’s headquarters complex in the Central Business District, Abuja, in favour of Messrs Itex Furniture (Nig) Ltd, in the sum of N3, 963,997,027.20 with six months as completion period”, she said.
Throwing more light on the contract, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bagudu Hirse, justified the rather high cost of the contract, saying that Nigeria has 106 missions abroad, with the biggest diplomatic communities, almost at par with Egypt and South Africa.
He added that the ministry is about the biggest ministry in Nigeria, even more than that of education, generally believed to be the biggest.
He stressed that it will be shameful if Nigeria cannot boast of a befitting corporate headquarters for its foreign affairs ministry, especially at a time when she has secured the hosting right for the next AU summit.
The ministry currently occupies an office complex of three blocks, at Zone 3, Wuse District, while the new office, a massive structure, is located besides the office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Central Business District of the FCT.
Nigerian leadership is from one foolishness to another.. when shall we start thinking like people that fear God and have extremely high standerds even in personal life ??
Nigerian politicians are thieves. Do not let those fools fool you with their big agbada, suits and ties. They do not know how to make anything work other than stealing, all they ever know in life is stealing and nothing else. If stealing is a God given talent, then its ok but if God does not permit stealings evil. They will all pay for it one day. Their days are coming up very fast watch. They forget that they will be gone with nothing in thier graves with them but by themselves & God who will question them on what they did while on earth with his given resources. Be rest asured they all belong to hell fire.
Its highly appalling and shocking for Nigeria to use such colossal sum of money just to furnish a building the cost of the building itself is left to be imagined..Its such wickedness and heartlessness, ASUU is presently on strike with the attendant mortgaging of the lives of our future leaders, nurses and doctors in all federal hospitals are also presently on strike with attendant loss of lives. The Apapa oshodi expressway is a total disaster, PHCN or NEPA or whatever its called is in commatose. This bunch of criminals and demons have the effrontery to award a contract of 4billion for furniture..Its only a revolution that can salvage Nigeria from this group of occultic imbeciles
3.9B naira for furnishing?Sorry for Nigeria..We are talking about close to US$33m in Nigeria where labour and materials are cheap.Even in industrialised expensive countries,that money will build and furnish a tip top mansion or modest office building.I blame former president Obasanjo for all these rubbish,he rigged Yaradua in office,I think he obviously knew the guy was not up to the task of making any impact in the course of his service.If you ask me to access him,I will say his 2yrs in office is a complete waste and I think his university education was a sham,just listen when he talks,he doesn’t sound like an educated man.
paul omon I could not but agree with you more. I am not surprised really about this….national assembly for instance took out N6b from hospital and education which was part of the FCT budget to allocate to a line item in 2009 budget to have contract awarded to expand the airport road which is fine as it is, to 10 lane-drive. if you dont have healthy educated people …can they drive on the roads. its unfortunate that our government have misplaced areas that should be their priority. N4b is what we have spent on petrol subsidies for two years I am told…that is the equivalent being spent on furnishing a building…..when people are dying everyday in the hospitals. God we help us that is my only consolation!!! May God Almighty help to change the leaders of this country which should stand out in Africa. see Ghana….which is fast developing (a good sign that they are heading on the right path is the visit of Barack Obama)…it might be Ghana’s turn soon to say “NIGERIA MUST GO”.
Shine outside for the world to see, but the inside is rotten.
When we cannot pay the allowances of our diplomats abroad-south africa pays-its foreign service officers well and ahead of time-ours is always filled with stories of delays from Central Bank-still, -it was very unthinking of Dora to have come out with this announcement-what concerns us is our roads-security, education and health facilities-not Siemems sponsored G8 summit-or African Union town hall meeting-that will not bring light or create jobs-for-Nigerians–no accountability-whatsoever-to her citizens-its oil money so /chop and quench/ soon another oil well will be discovered-