Buhari approves construction of 14-bed space presidential clinic at the cost of N21.9 billion

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the construction and equipping of a 14-bed space Presidential Clinic at the cost of N21.9 billion.

The Permanent Secretary, State House, Umar Tijjani, told members of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental while presenting the 2022 budget proposal for consideration.

He said that Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN) will construct the VIP clinic and the physical construction will start on November 1, 2021, and the Commissioning will be done on December 31, 2022.

The Permanent Secretary explained that the Presidential Clinic will contain 14-bed facilities with a total area of 2700 square meters adding that there will be underground, first floor, two number operating theatre, two number Executive Suit, two VIP, two Isolation and One number of six-bed isolation area in the building.

He said that there will be a laboratory, healing garden, pharmacy, and x-ray facility in the clinic.

He said,” The project was conceived in 2012 by the previous administration and the brief was produced. It was estimated that about N21 .9 billion and facility contains 14-bed space with a total area of 2700 square meters, there will be underground and the first floor.

He also said that” Most of the preliminary work has been concluded, and we have gone to the Bureau of Public Procurement to get Certificate of No Objection.”

He told the Committee that JBN was picked as the contractor because they built the State House and have been maintaining it since 1990 and JBN has done a great job, adding that JBN was considered because of security reasons.

He said the clinic will also be opened to other heads of Africa countries for medical treatment.

But, one of the members of the Committee, Senator Nicolas Tofowomo (PDP Ondo South) expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of the Permanent Secretary of State House to show the committee a pictorial view of the proposed hospital.

However, some other members of the Committee led by the Chairman, Senator Danjuma La’ah commended the initiative of the Federal government for the construction and equipping the Presidential Wing of the State House clinic which will be delivered on December 31, 2022.