BY BEN AGANDE

Abuja- In what may be seen as an uncommon feat since the country’s return to democratic rule, the Federal Government, yesterday, announced that the 2011 budget attained  83 per cent implementation.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who said this after the Federal Executive Council,FEC, meeting, explained that with just  two weeks to its March 31 deadline, government was hopeful that subsequent budgets would achieve better implementation.

Okonjo-Iweala, who joined the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, and Minister of Transport, Mr.  Idris Umar, said  ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, have been able to improve their efficiency in carrying through budgetary programmes and projects.

Maku also announced that yesterday’s  meeting approved five new power sub-stations for Kwoi in Kaduna State, Nnenwe (Enugu State), Egbe (Kogi), Ose (Ondo) and Gagarawa (Jigawa).

The minister explained that, “in order to improve the supply of power and better the life of the people living in these states, council approved the construction of five substation projects at the total costs of  $21,400,650.42, plus 5,148, 815, plus N3, 675,786,105.87”.

He added that the council  also approved a contract of N7.02 billion for the rehabilitation and expansion of Terminal 4 of Old Warri seaport, owing to the increasing traffic and stretching of the seaports in Lagos.

The award of the contract, the minister added, would serve as a big elixir  to the Nigerian maritime industry.
According to him, the contract has become imperative,  especially now that the nation’s ports have begun   operating for 24 hours.

FEC, Umar further revealed,  also approved the  dredging of River Benue from Yola through to Makurdi, following the completion of the dredging of River Niger.

The planned dredging of River Benue, the minister said, would  improve inland waterway transport and commerce while reducing cargo impact on roads.

He added that  FEC also approved a contract of N221.03 million for the consultancy services for the study and design of the Yola-Makurdi navigational route as this will create more jobs and open up the country’s waterways, adding that the President will commission the dredged Onitsha port before year-end.