FEC approves N1.4bn for design of new DPR office

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), has approved a memorandum from the Minister of State (Petroleum), Ibe Kachikwu, for the design of a new head office for the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

The design for the proposed 12-floor building, according to Kachikwu, will cost N1.4 billion.

He also said the contract for the design has been awarded to a Nigerian firm.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of FEC chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Kachikwu said the government has decided to move the head office building of DPR from Lagos to Abuja.

Asked if N1.4 billion is not too much for the design, the minister said the projected cost of the whole project is expected to cost N35 billion.

The FEC also approved three memos submitted by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.

The memos are in respect of procurement for the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

Mohammed, who also briefed journalists at the end of the meeting, said the council approved over N293 million for the purchase of cameras, microphones and TV packs for the NTA.

The official said “in the last 20 years only two attempts were made to upgrade equipment for the NTA; in 1999 and 2009” when the country hosted major sporting events.

The minister said FEC also approved the purchase of 15 Peugeot vehicles for NAN at the cost of N148 million.

He said the council also approved N561.4 million for the purchase of 12 10kw FM transmitters for the FRCN and another N311.6 million for the purchase of outdoor broadcast vans for the FRCN.

He said the total sum approved for FRCN is N873 million.

SOURCE: today.ng