Four Ministers are to forgo their Christmas holiday and stay put in Abuja to tackle the fuel scarcity that has made life harder for Nigerians, whose country produces crude oil in million barrels.
Vice President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday gave the order to Petroleum Minister, Rilwanu Lukman; his Minister of State, Odein Ajumogobia; Power Minister, Lanre Babalola; and his Minister of State, Nuhu Way.
Jonathan gave the directive at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, which he chaired.
He held a separate parley with the four Ministers after the FEC meeting, and will continue it with them on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week, in a “mini-FEC,” to resolve the petrol scarcity.
Information and Communications Minister, Dora Akunyili, told journalists that the FEC was briefed on how oil marketers hoard the commodity to cause shortage and raise pump price.
The FEC also heard how filling station managers damage some fuel pumps to convince government inspectors why they sell with only one or two pumps.
Akunyili said Jonathan directed the Ministers not to go on any holiday “because of these fuel and power problems.
“They cannot afford to go on holiday when the people are suffering. They must stay back with him (Jonathan) in easing out the problems of Nigerians.
“Nigerians are suffering, we know that, and we are worried, we are touched. We are not foreigners. We are going through what you (Nigerians) are going through in one way or the other.
“We have to do something constructive which we are doing right now.”
Dealing with other matters, the FEC approved a proposal from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Adamu Aliero, to build an official residence for the Vice President in the Three Arms Zone of Abuja at a cost of N7.06 billion.
Aliero explained that Jonathan currently stays in the Presidential Guest House, otherwise known as Akinola Aguda House, which is not convenient and does not befit his status.
The official residence used by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been handed over to the Chief Justice, whose proper accommodation it is.
“The Vice President has no accommodation and certainly you will agree with me that it is unbecoming of any government not to provide accommodation for the Vice President.
“It is not convenient for (Jonathan) to reside in a guest house meant for visiting Heads of State,” Aliero explained.
The new residence is to be built by Julius Berger, which was selected based on its experience in constructing the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly complex.
“You cannot subject the residence of the Vice President to a public display; that was why it was not advertised.
“For security reasons we decided to do what could be called selective tender.”
Other contracts approved by the FEC include the extension of inner southwest highway in the FCT at a cost of N13.4 billion.
It is meant to reduce the traffic congestion on the Abuja-Keffi Road.
Thirteen firms were contracted for N2.50 billion for the clearing of solid waste in the FCT under the private public partnership.
There is a budget of N869.2 million for it this year, the balance N2.198 billion is proposed in the 2010 budget.
Some N201.5 million has been approved for the commencement of the project.
Also approved is the contract to buy 250,000 packs of HIV/AIDS anti-retroviral drugs for the FCT, at a cost of N399.5 million.
The government has been treating persons with HIV/AIDS free since 2001.
The Health Ministry runs 262 treatment centres nationwide for about 350,000 patients.
The rest contracts involve the purchase of 49 ambulances costing N326.7 million for three primary health care centres and one general hospital in 12 states with high maternal and child mortality rates.
The states are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa- Ibom, Ekiti, Edo, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Plateau, Ogun and Yobe.