The Federal Executive Council, has approved N9.2bn for group life covering federal civil servants for 2021/22. The minister of information, Lai Mohammed, announced this after FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
Lai Mohammed, who stood in for Head of Service Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, (pictured) said the premium covers federal government employees, public servants, para-military and the intelligence community said it is a welfare initiative to ensure workers are paid compensation in case of death..
The minister said: “On behalf of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, I will like to report that council today approved the award of contract for the appointment of insurance companies for group life assurance for federal government employees, public servants, paramilitary and the intelligence community for the year 2021-2022 in the sum of N9, 248. 995, 907 and this premium is for a period of 12 months.
The council also approved another contract worth about N5.6 billion for the establishment of one oxygen production plant in each of the 36 states of the country, worth N5.6 billion.
Mohammed, who spoke on this on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, revealed: “The Minister of Health presented a memo, which was approved, for the emergency supply, installation and maintenance of oxygen production plants and construction of plant houses in each of the 36 states of the federation and Abuja. The contract was approved in the sum of N5, 615, 127, 479 inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT, in favour of four different companies, with a completion period of 20 weeks.”
He said the approval was to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, and eventually relieve the difficulties in the supply chain for oxygen.
He said that the council similarly approved N18.1 billion for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, for the development of infrastructure and Kano and Calabar free trade zones, as well as the Textile and Garment Park in Lagos and the Special Economic Zone, Lekki–Lagos.
