The Federal Government has approved the sum of N3.4 billion for the procurement of a surveillance aircraft for the use of the nation’s Customs Service.
Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, made this known on Wednesday while speaking with newsmen at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
According to him: “The Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning presented a couple of memos for which approvals were obtained. The first one was for the award of contract for the procurement of a Cessna Caravan aircraft by the Nigerian Customs in the sum of N3,447,442,710 inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT with a delivery period of 12 months”.
He said the aircraft will help a lot in carrying out air surveillance as well as curb the activities of smugglers.
“This aircraft is an addition to the current fleet in the Customs Service and it is aimed towards combating smuggling activities and enhancing intelligence gathering. It is also to provide aerial surveillance and reconnaissance for the customs across our borders,” Agba added.
He further disclosed that the Council granted approval for the implementation of the Nigeria Customs Service modernization project to a concessionaire.
He said the concessionaire is Bergman Securities Consultant and suppliers limited as the project sponsor, Africa Finance Corporation UFC as lead financier while Huawei Technologies will be trained as lead technical service provider.
According to the Minister, the concessionaire has furnished the government with $9 million security from the satisfactory performance of the project. They have also executed the depth facility tensions in the sum of $300 million to finance the first phase of the project.
He said the revenue sharing arrangement is 45 percent of accruals to the comprehensive input service scheme, will go to the concessionaire and 55 percent will go to the federal government among others.
