FEC approves printing of voters cards at N2billion

Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the printing of 33.5 million additional voters’ cards for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the cost of N2.117 billion for elections in the next ten years.

Briefing state house correspondents after the council meeting on Wednesday, the Minister of Information and communications, Labaran Maku, dashed any hopes of using permanent voters card for the 2015 general elections when he stated that the voters cards that will be printed will expire in 2019.

He further explained that it is expected that subsequent elections will be carried out with the national identity cards.

The new card will be ready in six months time, said Maku.

Meanwhile, the information minister said it was the turn of the Ministry of Women Affairs to present its score card for 2012 and the Minister in charge; Hajia Zainab Maina, told the council that one major achievement of her ministry was the gender responsive budgeting which sets aside the sum of N3billion to empower Nigerian women.

Council also approved a new national vocational qualifications frame work for Nigeria.

The Minister of Education; Professor Ruquyattu Rufai said that the new approval will address the high level of unemployment gap amongst the nation’s graduates who have skills outside the school system.