THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday urged the Presidential Panel on Amnesty and Disarmament of Militants in the Niger Delta to work diligently and speedily to hasten restoration of law and order in the region.

The council gave its counsel after the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the panel, Maj.-Gen. Godwin Abbe and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshal Paul Dike, briefed it on the progress of its work and its meeting with stakeholders in the region.

In a statement after the council meeting, Abbe said that as part of the commitment of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua towards the development of the region, the Federal Government "will continue to do everything within its powers to mitigate the impact of unavoidable security measures on law-abiding inhabitants of the region."

The minister also described as "incorrect" a report in a newspaper (not The Guardian) that the Joint Task Force (JTF) was stopping displaced people from returning to their villages.

Abbe said that contrary to the report, and in compliance with the directive by President Yar'Adua, "the JTF is taking steps to ensure that the displaced persons can safely return home."

He also stated that his committee is "on course" with the implementation of the mandate of the President for the amnesty panel to reach out to Henry Okah and offer him the amnesty.

Full text of Abbe's statement read: "The Presidential Panel on Amnesty and Disarmament of Militants in the Niger Delta today briefed the Federal Executive Council on the progress of its work and its meeting with stakeholders in Port Harcourt yesterday (Tuesday).

"The briefing was well received by council members and the committee was urged to work diligently for the speedy and successful conclusion of its important assignment to facilitate the restoration of law and order through the granting of amnesty to militants who want to embrace the peace and security required for the development of the Niger Delta.

"While the Federal Government remains fully committed to establishing these pre-requisite conditions of peace and stability essential for the implementation of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's developmental agenda for the Niger Delta, it will continue to do everything within its powers to mitigate the impact of unavoidable security measures on law-abiding inhabitants of the region.

"In this regard, I will like to say that today's report by a national newspaper that the military Joint Task Force (JTF) is stopping persons displaced in the course of recent operations against militants who killed and abducted its men, from returning to their villages, is incorrect.

"Contrary to the report, in compliance with the directive by President Yar'Adua that everything possible be done to facilitate the speedy rehabilitation of affected communities and their inhabitants, the JTF is taking steps to ensure that displaced persons can safely return home.

"The task force is, however, taking necessary measures to keep criminal elements out of the communities, ensure that only the genuine inhabitants return and that the people are protected from the activities of criminal opportunists who may want to take advantage of the situation.

"President Yar'Adua has shown commendable goodwill with this amnesty offer and I appeal to all patriotic Nigerians and friends of Nigeria to support its implementation to create the requisite enabling environment for lasting peace and development in the Niger Delta.

"I already have the mandate of the President for the amnesty panel to reach out to Henry Okah and offer him the amnesty. We are on course with regard to the implementation of this directive."

Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, yesterday said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has not suspended the award of new contracts, contrary to the reports arising from her briefing last week.

Akunyili told journalists after the council meeting that "the Federal Government has not stopped the processing and award of contracts as reported by most newspapers last week. There was some misunderstanding. We only paused to take stock of what we have done so far. And this will be done every last Wednesday of every month."

And to prove that the award of contracts has not been suspended, the council approved a total of $95 million (N13.870 billion) as intervention fund for the Lagos-Eko Secondary School Project.

The council also approved a total of $225 million (N32.850 billion) for the development of an HIV/AIDS project.

Both contracts are to be funded from credit provided by International Development Association (IDA).

The council also considered and approved the final payment of the sum of N6,191,269,869,94 in favour of Reynold Construction Company (RCC) for the construction of the Federal Ministry of Finance Phase II headquarters office complex.

According to Prof. Akunyili: "In view of government's commitment to reforming the education sector and in order to improve skills and standard; and following a memo brought by Minister of Finance, the Federal Executive Council approved the request for International Development Association credit in the sum of SDR63,600 million ($95 million) for the proposed Lagos-Eko secondary education project. The objective of the proposed project is to improve the quality of education in public and senior secondary schools across Lagos State, strengthen the federal post-basic education strategy and build monitoring and evaluation capacity of the Ministry of Education.

"The proposed credit would support the Lagos State Government's plan of human development by directly supporting the junior and senior secondary schools through grants, performance-based incentives, teachers training and standardised testing of the students. This project will benefit over 500,000 public schools' pupils, build the capacity of over 7,000 teachers and school administrators and strengthen capacity of district institutions."

The Ministry of Finance contract was awarded in 2001 and it is about 95 per cent completed.

"In order to mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDS, the council considered a memo from the Minister of Finance and approved another IDA credit in the sum of SDR150,000,000.00 ($225 million) at an exchange rate of 1SDR to USD 1.495 for the second HIV/AIDS development project.

"The objective of the proposed second HIV/AIDS development projects is to reduce the risk of HIV infection by scaling up prevention, intervention and to increase access to and utilisation of HIV counselling, testing care and support services. The project will be implemented in all the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. The Council approved this memo with a proviso that there should be re-negotiation of the loan terms so that more funds will be directed to screening and treatment."