Contracts worth N70.99 billion were yesterday awarded for 20 different highway projects by the Federal Government.The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili made the announcement while briefing newsmen after yesterday's Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Vice- President Goodluck Jonathan.

Akunyili said the contracts were awarded under the Federal Road Network Rehabilitation Programmes of the Federal Government. She said: "the socio-economic importance of the rehabilitation of the Federal Highway network in line with President Umaru Yar'adua's 7-Point Agenda, is not in doubt.

Also the state of disrepair of some of these roads calls for urgent need for rehabilitation. It is therefore in line with these objectives that the Minister of Works, Housing and Urban Development, Dr Hassan Lawal presented a memo to council seeking approval for the rehabilitation of some of these roads on zonal basis."

Also speaking on the contracts, Lawal said the roads rehabilitation and construction cut across the six geo-political zones of the country.

"All except two got four projects. North Central and North East zones got two each while the four others got four each. I must say that the award is not done on equal basis. They are equitable but not necessarily equal," he said.

The Minister said 54 road contracts have been awarded across the country since the beginning of this year. "The first phase of 34 contracts, I am happy to say that in each geo-political zone today, the contractors have mobilised to sites and they are working," he said.

In a related development, the council also approved the award of contract for the purchase of a fast patrol craft for the Nigerian Navy at the the sum of 8.8 million US dollars.

Akunyili said the ASD Fast Patrol Craft would facilitate effective patrol of the Nigerian maritime borders and Exclusive Economic Zone by the Navy. FEC also approved contract for the purchase of five fairly used PUMA SA 330 SM helicopters from France under Government to Government contract at the sum of 68.7 million Euro.

The minister said that the helicopters would be deployed in the areas of Air support for Nigerian troops in peace keeping operations as well as Air support surveillance and reconnaissance in the Niger Delta.

The council also approved the contract for the purchase of 116 peugeot series operational vehicles for the Nigeria Customs Service directly from Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Ltd. at the sum of N504.2 million.

Akunyili also stated that FEC approved the award of contract for the purchase of Arms and Ammunition for the Nigeria Customs Service in the sum of N382.2 million in favour of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria.