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FG Approves N2.6bn For Voters Cards
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N2.6 billion for the printing of 40 million permanent voter cards for distribution to registered voters in the country.
Section 16 of the 2010 Election Act as amended, mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to print and issue permanent voter cards to all registered voters in the country.
INEC had issued Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs) to no fewer than 73.5 million voters registered in the 2011 Nationwide Voters’ Registration.
Addressing State House correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting, chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said the approval was for the first phase of the exercise.
Maku said that INEC would be expected to print additional cards next year to meet the requirement of registered voters in the country.
He said the issuance of the permanent voter cards was in line with the 2010 Electoral Act, and that they would replace the nearly 73.5 million Temporary Voter Cards issued by the commission for the 2011 general elections.
“Next year, INEC is expected again to bring to Council additional proposal to print more voter cards for the registered voters across the country.
“This was approved by the Federal Executive Council in view of the commitment of this administration to the deeper reforms in the electoral process.
“The electoral process is one of the key programmes of this administration and from the reforms that the President brought on board, we saw from the last election, that our elections are getting cleaner by the day and indeed when we look at the outcome of the last election, post-election cases in courts were down by more than 2/3, and that was a record in this country.”
According to the minister, the new cards which contain security features such as hologram, microtext, guilloche, barcode, fingerprints, contactless/embedded chip with printed voter’s details and photograph, will last for at least 10 years.
“This and other features are expected to prevent multiple voting no matter the location of the voter in the country since the cards will be electronically enabled.”
Maku maintained that the project was part of government’s commitment to organising transparent and credible elections in the country.
The contract to print the new cards was awarded to ACT Technologies Limited, which is expected to deliver them within seven months.
President Jonathan, according to the minister, also directed federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to step up action to begin the procurement of items locally in line with his earlier instruction.
“The president, therefore, orders the MDAs to list items in their respective budgetary provisions which they could procure within the country and make such available in subsequent presentations to FEC.”
Maku stressed that President Jonathan’s action was aimed at encouraging local manufacturers and foreign investors to start manufacturing locally, so as to boost the nation’s economy.
Also addressing the Correspondents on the outcome of the FEC meeting, the Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Yerima Ngama, said he made a presentation to the Council on the outcome of the last 37th meeting of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Sudan, where Nigeria was rated as the third fastest growing economy in the world with a GDP of 7.68 per cent.
“Today in Council, I presented a report on the presentation made at the 37th Annual General Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank.
“The bank has 56 member-countries and at the annual general meeting, each country is supposed to present a report on the economic performance of the country.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a Federal Executive Council committee to move swiftly on measures to further reduce food prices across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this in Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to him, the directive focuses on ensuring safe passage of farm produce across transport routes to cut logistics costs.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” Abdullahi said at a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
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Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has faced worsening food insecurity since the removal of fuel subsidy, high transport costs, and insecurity on major highways disrupted the movement of goods.
Despite government interventions, food remains largely unaffordable for millions.
The minister said the plan is tied to Tinubu’s broader vision of food sovereignty—beyond availability to ensure affordability, accessibility, and nutrition on a sustainable basis.
To back this up, he revealed that government is set to roll out a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost productivity and a revamped cooperative reform initiative to mobilise resources and empower rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members,” Abdullahi added.
The event, with the theme, “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; ex-presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and NILDS DG, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
The Federal Government has warned contractors, including foreign firms, that any breach of regulations in road projects awarded to them may lead to arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, issued the warning during an inspection of the ongoing dualisation of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction in Rivers State.
The section is being executed by Reynolds Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited.
Responding to questions from journalists, Umahi commended the quality of work on the project but expressed displeasure over the slow pace, stressing that the December completion deadline remains sacrosanct.
On the project, he said:“The quality of the work is excellent, but the pace of work is totally unacceptable. Let me make it very clear to the contractor that this project will neither be reviewed nor varied in price or claims.
“I’m sure we have issued over 10 warning letters to them. If they fail to comply with the completion deadline of December 15, we will not extend it.”
He added that the ministry had already put measures in place to enforce compliance
“The comptroller has negative certificates to issue, and I will recover the money from any of their other projects. All those letters are on record, and when the time comes, they will be invoked. Any contractor who refuses to abide by regulations will have the EFCC and ICPC to contend with,” he said.
Umahi further disclosed that the Federal Government had directed that road projects valued below N20bn would no longer be awarded to expatriate companies, in line with its “Nigeria First” policy aimed at strengthening indigenous capacity in the construction sector.
“This is part of the Nigeria First policy of the Federal Government. Henceforth, no expatriate firm will be awarded any project valued below N20bn. Such projects must go to indigenous companies, while expatriates focus on higher-value projects requiring more technical capacity,” he said.
The minister also noted that the Federal Ministry of Works had adopted a funding prioritisation framework to sustain road projects initially financed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
He stressed that President Bola Tinubu had directed that none of such projects should be abandoned, adding that priority would be given to critical economic corridors.
Umahi also decried the indiscriminate parking of heavy-duty vehicles on highways, saying it was damaging the pavements of completed sections of the road.
He said letters would be sent to state governors and the Inspector-General of Police to enforce punitive measures against defaulters.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Rivers State, Mrs Enwereama Tarilade, said RCC had completed 15km of the right carriageway and commenced work on the left carriageway, with one kilometre already laid in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement.
The Rivers State Government says it will ensure the smooth and successful takeoff of the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), in Ogoniland.
This commitment was made yesterday by the Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), during a courtesy visit by the university’s Governing Council and Management team at the Government House, in Port Harcourt.
The high-level delegation was led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Professor Don Baridam and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedu Mmom.
In his address, Administrator Ibas warmly congratulated the pioneer council and management on their appointments, describing their task as both a recognition of individual accomplishment and a historic call to duty.
“This is not just a recognition of your personal achievements but also a call to history to shape an institution that will have a profound impact on Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and indeed our country,” he stated.
The Administrator commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of the specialized university in Ogoniland, describing the initiative as “timely and strategic.”
He emphasized that the university’s presence offers a critical opportunity to drive research, innovation, and community-focused solutions to the region’s pressing environmental and developmental challenges.
He further noted that the university’s core focus aligns perfectly with the priorities of his administration.“We consider this university not merely as another institution of higher learning but as a strategic partner in our collective effort to rebuild Rivers State under the ongoing state of emergency and beyond,” he affirmed.
Responding to specific requests presented by the delegation, Administrator Ibas assured the university of immediate support in critical areas essential for the its commencement.
These include the provision of operational vehicles, key facilities, and the completion of the access road to the campus, adding that other vital needs, such as perimeter fencing, refuse disposal, and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, would be addressed within the framework of the state’s broader infrastructure and support programmes.
To ensure swift action, the Administrator directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to work closely with the university’s Governing Council to prioritize the sequence of requests, particularly those tied to the commencement of academic activities in September 2025.
“Let me assure you that Rivers State Government will stand as a dependable partner to the Federal University of Environment and Technology. We see this university as part of our long-term investment in knowledge, innovation, and the future of our youths,” he emphasized.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Don Baridam, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community development.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has directed the institution to formally commence its academic session in September 2025, adding that preparations are in full swing to ensure a smooth take-off with adequate infrastructure and resources in place.
“Today’s meeting marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between the Rivers State Government and FUET, envisioned to establish the university as a premier hub for research, innovation, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta”, he said.
