Moves to boost the nation’s aviation sector may see the Federal Government spending N291,731,485 million in acquiring equipment that would aid the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) carry out its functions more effectively.
This was made known by the Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday.
“FEC approved N291,731,485 for the procurement of Memory Access Retrieval System (MARS) to enhance safety.
“Safety and security is the main thrust of President Muhammadu Buhari government in aviation. It will enhance our laboratory in accident investigation. It is a requirement of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in their standard practices and applicable by local laws, “he stated.
Meanwhile, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said a number of reforms have been taking place to decongest prisons in Nigeria.
To this end, Malami said the office of the attorney general presented a memo to FEC, regarding a web-based automated inter-connectivity system, which is a digitalised way of decongesting the prisons.
He explained that the idea was to digitally connect all the prison formations to the office of the attorney general of the federation, the police, prison service and selected courts.
According to him, the essence was to have an idea on a daily basis what obtains at our prisons across the nation. So, that at a glance or a click of the button, one can access what obtains at the prisons across the country.
“For instance, who is going to court today, who is being released today, those who have been in prison longer than their years of sentence, who is in prison that is not meant to be there.
“This will aid stakeholders in decision making on a daily basis through the digital process of inter-networking. This is against an adhoc committee moving across the country to have physical presence in prisons.
“Recall that Mr. President had put in place an ad-hoc committee under the chairmanship of FCT Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, to move around the prisons in the country, look at the conditions and come up with a suggestion. You are also aware that by the constitution, Mr. President is vested with the prerogative of mercy targeted at setting free inmates that satisfies certain conditions”.
The meeting did not end with the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello getting FEC’s approval for the award of contract for the supply of water and field for the Abuja Water Board at the sum of N368 million including five percent VAT.
While the second was the contract for the supply of 500 firemen suits under the FCT Fire Services for the management agency of the FCT at the cost of N226 million including five percent VAT.
