Approves $3.02b Port Harcourt-Maiduguri narrow guage project, others
The Federal Government, yesterday, approved N653.8m to procure and deploy hybrid spectrum monitoring system to tame activities of illegal broadcast frequencies in the South East.

This followed Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) approval of a memo, which sought to strengthen the security and Nigeria’s territorial integrity through adequate monitoring of the airwaves to ensure that there were no illegal transmissions in the country.

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, briefed the council on the investigation carried out by the ministry and sought FEC’s approval to deploy hybrid spectrum monitoring system with special focus on the South East region.

Addressing newsmen after yesterday’s FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, he (Pantami) said the investigation uncovered the use of illegal frequencies in the country, which he said, had become very rampant.

“From January to August 2020, within the period of eight months, we discovered 320 frequencies being used all over the country and of that number, 106 were illegal.

“This is very worrisome because the usage of illegal spectrum or frequencies will compromise the country’s security and safety,” he said.

Also, the FEC approved $3.02b to facilitate the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Eastern Narrow Gauge railway project.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi stated this while addressing State House Correspondents after FEC meeting in Abuja.

He said council also approved the construction of a deep seaport at Bonny and a railway industrial park in Port Harcourt, adding that both projects would be funded through a Public, Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement and at no cost to the Federal Government.

Amaechi explained that the PPP-funded industrial park project would be executed at $241.2m, while Bonny deep seaport would be executed with $461.9m.

“FEC has approved award of contracts for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow gauge railway, with new branch lines and trans-shipment facilities.

“It also approved the construction of a new deep seaport in Bonny, under PPP and the construction of a railway industrial park in Port Harcourt,” he stated.

On his part, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said the FEC approved the setting up of two shoes, garments and leather processing hubs in Aba and Janguza in Abia and Kano states under a PPP arrangement.

He added that the projects to be managed by Nigerian and Chinese firms, would provide no fewer than 4,330 direct and indirect jobs, with investments worth about N5.1b.