2022 Budget: Buhari N21bn For Construction Of 14-Bed Presidential Clinic

AHEAD of the passage of the 2022 Appropriation Bill by the National Assembly, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the construction and equipping of a 14- bed presidential clinic at the cost of N21 billion.

The Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar, disclosed this on Thursday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter- Governmental Affairs, led by Senator Danjuma La’ah, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kaduna South, for the presentation and defence of the 2022 budget proposals.

In his presentation, Umar disclosed that the construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria, would construct the Very Important Personality, VIP, clinic, saying the physical construction of the project would start on November 1, 2021, while the commissioning would take place on December 31, 2022.

He told the senators that Julius Berger was picked as the contractor because the firm built state House and had been maintaining it since 1990, adding that JBN was considered because for security reason.

According to him, the presidential clinic will contain 14 beds with total area of 2700 square meters and there will be underground, first floor, two operating theatres, two executive suites, 2 VIP, 2 isolation centres and one of six-bed isolation area in the building.

Umar, who noted that there would be laboratory, healing garden, pharmacy and X-ray facility in the clinic, said: “The project was conceived in 2012 by previous administration and the brief was Produced.

“It was estimated about N21 billion and facility contains 14 bed space without total area of 2700 square meters, there will be underground and first floor.

“Two operating theatres, two executive suit, 2 VIP, 2 isolation and One six-bed isolation area. Most of the preliminary work has been concluded , Mr President has approved the project.

“We have gone to the Bureau of Public Procurement to get Certificate of No Objection.”

He further explained that the clinic will also be opened to other Africa countries for medical treatment.“However, a member of the committee, Senator Nicholas Tofowomo, PDP, Ondo South, expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of the Permanent Secretary of State House to show the committee pictorial view of the hospital.

“But some other members of the committee commended the initiative of the federal government for the construction and equipping of the Presidential Wing of state House Clinic which will be delivered on December 31, 2022.”

Vanguard