It was gathered by CEOAFRICA.com that the Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a sum of N32 billion to expand the FADAMA 111 project aimed at boosting agriculture in Nigeria.

The money would be obtained as loan from International Development Association (IDA) World Bank.

Speaking after the completion of the weekly Federal Executive Council’s meeting held in Aso Rock, the Nigeria’s Minister for Information, Labaran Maku informed journalists that the council also approve a couple of projects which includes; a proposal by the Federal Ministry of Works for the comprehensive underwater inspection, assessment of pilings, river bed bathymetric survey, profiling and echo metric test on Third Mainland Bridge, a draft bill seeking to detect, prevent and control cyber-crime in Nigeria submitted to it by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, and a contract for an integrity check on the Third Mainland Bridge, approval for the establishment of a branch office of the African Export-Import in Abuja as well as the proposed hosting of the Nigeria Economic Support Group (NESG), holding 3rd-5th of next month.

Mr. Maku, while expressing the importance of the bridge which connects Lagos mainland to the Island, he said,” Following reports of oscillation and excessive vibrations of the bridge under traffic load, investigations and tests were carried out by experts on the bridge in 2008 and the reports indicated that the bridge was structurally sound but required the replacement of damaged expansion joints and bearings.”

“The ministry decided that Advanced Integrity Assessment including echo metric (sonic pulse) tests on piles was inevitable in order to authenticate the findings of the Nigerian Submarine Divers Limited (NSD).”

“In order to save the bridge from extensive deteriorating condition, council approved the award of contract for the consultancy services for the comprehensive underwater inspection, assessment of pilings, river bed bathymetric survey, profiling and echo metric test on Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State in favour of Messrs ICECON (Nigeria) Limited in the sum of N290, 745, 000.00 only with a completion period of two months.”

In his address, the Agriculture and rural development Minister, Akinwunmi Adesina, said the loan for FADAMA 111is aimed at deepening the agriculture in Nigeria.

He said, “With about 24 million hectares of Fadama land in the country, it is the belief of the government that the initiative would go a long in boosting the production of agriculture in the country.”

Furthermore, the minister said, “Additional $50 million US is expected to be invested in the project. Part of the fund would be used as counterpart funds by the federal, states and local governments affected, while the remaining part would be provided in kind by the affected parties.

“The Project Development Objective, (PDO) for the additional financing is consistent with the ongoing Fadama 111 project which is to increase the incomes for users of rural lands and water resources within the Fadama areas in a sustainable manner.”

“The proposed additional financing will scale up the project’s achievements and strengthen the development effectiveness of the highly performing Fadama 111 by aligning it more closely with the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, (ATA) of the present administration.

“Council approved that the CME/ MFN execute the financing agreement and also directed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to issue the legal opinion required to render the loan effective.”

According to Adesina, the crops which the fund would target to improve includes rice, sorghum and cassava among others, mainly cultivated in Kano, Anambra, Enugu, Niger, Lagos and Kogi states.

Adesina also said that over 37,000 jobs are expected to be generated through the initiative, a over 50 percent of the grants are reserved for women and youths as the main targets of the projects.

The Information Minister, while speaking on the bill seeking to regulate and criminalizing cyber-crime, said, “the core objective of the Cybercrime Bill, 2013 is to prove an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution and punishment of cybercrimes in Nigeria, promote cyber security and ensure the protection of critical national information infrastructure.”

“There is need for cooperation and international coalition to combat cybercrimes and that a lot is expected of Nigeria as a noteworthy regional power in Africa by the International community which expects her to acquaint herself commendably by joining forces with other members of the comity of nations in the fight against cybercrimes and in the promotion of cyber security,” he explained.