FEC okays establishment of 20 private varsities

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday, approved the establishment of 20 new private universities across the country.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at end of the 32nd virtual council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the approved universities would get their provisional licenses from the National Universities Commission, NUC.

According to him, the approved universities will use their provisional licenses for the next three years, while monitoring and evaluation will go on.

Nine of the private universities are located in North Central, three in South South, two in South East, five in North West, and one in South West.

He gave the names of the new universities as Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State; Thomas Adewumi University, Oko-Irese, Kwara State; Maranathan University, Mgbidi, Imo State; Ave Maria University, Piyanko, Nasarawa State; and Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State.

Others are Mudiame University, Irrua, Edo State; Havilla University, Nde-Ikom, Cross River State; Claretian University of Nigeria, Nekede, Imo State; NOK University, Kachia, Kaduna State; and Karl-Kumm University, Vom, Plateau State.

Also approved are James Hope University, Lagos, Lagos State; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, Kano State; Capital City University, Kano, Kano State; Ahman Pategi University, Pategi, Kwara State; and University of Offa, Offa, Kwara State.

Also approved are Mewar University, Masaka, Nasarawa State; Edusoko University, Bida, Niger State; Philomath University, Kuje, Abuja; Khadija University, Majia, Jigawa State; and Anan University, Kwall, Plateau State.

Also briefing, the  Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo,  said  council approved the sum of N35 billion for the building of power station by the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority, NEPZA, in Akamkpa, Cross River State.

The Minister said the contract awarded to Messers Mutual Commitment Nigeria Limited, was for the power station to power the Calabar Export Processing Zone.

He said the exact contract sum was N35,411,119,159.47, adding that the contractor will finance 75 percent of the project, which was in the sum of N26,558,339,337.10 while the NEPZA would finance 25 percent which translate to N8,852,779,792.37.

The Minister also said that council approved a payback period of 10 years of the contractor’s portion.

Adebayo informed that on completion after 11 months, the plant will be operated by the contractor for five years during which they will build local capacity that will take over the running of the plant.

According to him, “The whole intention of the upgrade of the two zones is to create zones with world class standards. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is desirous of making Nigeria a manufacturing hub, especially now that we have signed on to the Africa Continental free Trade Area (AFCTA) Agreement.

“So, by putting 24-hour power in the two processing zones, it will make it more attractive to foreign investors to come and set up manufacturing concerns here in Nigeria.”

On his part, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, said council gave approval for the categorization of Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria that is in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, as a power producing and strategic company.

With the approval, Adegbite said the production of aluminum will start in Nigeria.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the ministers of Transportation and Aviation, said council also approved the sum of N783,521,275 inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT for the award of contract for the procurement of two hydrographic survey boats for the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) by Ministry of Transportation, in Favour of Messers First Index Project and Services Limited.

Mohammed said council approved the contract for the design, supply and installation of PTZ long range tarmac camera surveillance system at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and also for a mobile surveillance system with remote controlled licensed for sober installed in the back of a Mercedes Benz Splinter Van 524 in favour of Messers Bruce Lee Pro Project, which is exclusive Nigeria and Africa representatives of the original equipment manufacturers Messers Datcom Systems Integrated Limited Posers of Slovenia.

While noting that the total sum of the contract is N1,278,594,250, he said this is in order to upgrade and provide security and safety for the Nigeria Airport Authority, especially to avoid incidence on the air site and runway.