The Minister of the Federal Capital  Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammed Bello, has said that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N82 billion for the completion of infrastructure projects in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Bello made the announcement while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said about N8.1 billion of the amount was approved for the rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat.

He said: “I presented six memos and all have to do with infrastructure and infrastructure-related projects.

“The first one is for the revision of the contracts for the rehabilitation and expansion of the outer Southern Expressway to Ring Road 1 in the Federal Capital City.

.“That contract was approved at a varied contract amount of N15,125,122,967.

“It is expected that this contract will be completed within 24 months.

“The second project, which was also approved, is for the revised estimated cost of the contract for the construction of a 15km left hand service carriage way of the outer surface of the outer Southern Expressway stage II.

“The augmentation of this particular project is in the sum of N11,476,476,424,350.

“The third memo is for the rehabilitation of Phase 1 of the Federal Secretariat, which involves electro-mechanical systems, water system as well as other general rehabilitation.

“This is a secretariat that was inaugurated in 1993, quite a long time ago, so we are doing massive rehabilitation of that at a total sum of N8,110,665,676.76 and the completion period is 24 months.’

He further disclosed that the sum of N110 million.was aloocated to the total overhaul of a 1500 KVA generating plant for the Abuja Environmental Protection Board., while N47.6 billion.went for an upward review of the contract sum for the extension of the inner Southern Expressway.

He added that N131.4 million of the N82 billion was meant for the review of consultancy provision for the Independence and Constitution Avenue Road projects in the Abuja Central Business District.