Sunday Ode, Abuja
The Federal Government on Wednesday approved World Bank’s US$150 million credit facility in support of polio eradication in Nigeria .This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
She explained that the proposed World Bank’s US$150 million credit facility in support of the polio eradication is the third additional financing builds upon substantial past investments saying the investments have paid off handsomely with the country now on the verge of polio eradication.
According to her, the objective of the project is to assist the Federal Government as part of a global polio eradication effort, achieve and sustain at least 80% coverage with Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) immunization in every state in the country and improve routine immunization.
According to her, ” the project will be coordinated by National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) at the federal level and implemented in the 12 lagging states of Adamawa, Bayelsa, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.
“The proposed project has three Components:-Polio Eradication Support, Routine Immunisation Support, Routine Immunisation System Strengthening.” The proposed project will help the implementation of national and state level polio Immunisation Campaigns and support the procurement of vaccines for Routine Immunization.” It will provide critical needed funds to aviod any disruption in Polio Eradication activities, sustain coverage and prevent deterioration in Routine Immunisation.”
The minister also said the project is expected to support further the scale up of immunisation activities which include:the introduction of powerful new vaccines against rota-virus diarrhea, measles and meningitis which are major killers of children, Strengthening the management of the immunisation programme at the national and subnational levels and Support for the cold chain and logistic systems.
Noting that it is important to know that Nigeria is making significant progress on polio eradication, Adeosun said the country has officially interrupted the transmission of wild polio virus with no recorded cases in the last 21 months even as she noted if there are no cases by July 2019, Nigeria will be certified polio free.
She said the proposed project will provide financial support to the government’s efforts in eradicating polio.Adeosun also disclosed that the council awarded a contract for the supply and installation of Rapiscan Mobile Cargo Scanner-Eagle M60, training of120 officers and integration of Rapiscan Eagle M60 Scanners into Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II.
She said: ” The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is seeking the approval of the Federal Executive Council to procure 3 Units of Rapiscan Mobile Cargo Scanner-Eagle M60 including 30 months on-site service/support and maintenance, training of120 officers and integration of Rapiscan Eagle M60 Scanners into Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II) from Messrs Air Waves Limited at the sum of N8,047,425,000.00.
” Currently, there are no functional scanners in all the ports for the operations of Nigeria Customs Service as the once previously installed are now unserviceable. The development has negative effect on the operations of the Service.
” To solve this challenge, NCS has identified Rapiscan Mobile Cargo Scanner-Eagle M60 as a suitable option and Messrs Air Waves Limited is an accredited representative of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Messrs Rapiscan Systems Limited, USA, with vast operational experience which is transferred to clients through Technology and Skill Development programmes.”
She listed the contract cost to include: delivery of 3 Units Rapiscan Mobile Cargo Scanner Eagle M60, on-site services/support and maintenance for next 30 months after installation and commissioning of the scanners.
Others are “provision of spare parts for 36 months after installation and commissioning,training of One hundred and twenty (120) NCS officers, Integration of Rapiscan Eagle M60 Scanners into Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II) and future upgrade.
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