IN a bid to reduce  child and maternal mortality in rural areas, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the purchase of 63 ambulances at the total cost of N458.49 million.

This was revealed at the end of  Wednesday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) by the Minister of State for Information and Communications, Mr Labaran Maku, who briefed State House correspondents.

He said each of the ambulances was valued at N7.27 million and they would be distributed to 20 states of the federation as part of the Federal Government’s efforts towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The states include Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Taraba, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kwara, Kano, Jigawa, Imo, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The minister said the move was initiated by the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Josephine Anenih, and that was why the ministry was given the responsibility of supervising the ambulances and ensuring optimal and appropriate use and maintenance.

The approval followed deliberation and approval of the memo presented by the minister to the council for the award of contract for direct procurement of the ambulances.

The first phase of the scheme, which covers 16 states of the federation involving about 49 ambulances, was launched in Abuja by the First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan last month.