Breaking News
Presidential Clinic Increases State House 2022 Budget to N40bn
- 14-bed clinic ready by Dec 2022
By Deji Elumoye
The plan for the construction of a 14-bed Presidential Clinic at the State House, Abuja has increased its budget for 2022 fiscal year to N40 billion.
The Permanent Secretary, State House, Umar Tijjani, who disclosed this on Thursday, said the clinic, which will cost N21 billion, has been awarded to the construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, while the ground breaking for the construction of the clinic is slated for Monday, November 1, 2021.
The Permanent Secretary, who spoke during a budget defence session with the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs, stated that the idea for the construction of the clinic was conceived in 2012 during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Tijjani, in his presentation, said the N21 billion budgeted for the 14-bed clinic is meant for both physical infrastructure and grade A medical equipment.
According to him, “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.”
He added that the clinic will contain 14-bed facilities with a total area of 2,700 square meters with underground facilities, first floor, two number operating theatres, two number executive suites, two VIP, two isolation and one number of six-bed isolation area in the building.
Laboratory, healing garden, pharmacy and X-ray facilities, according to him, are also planned for the clinic.
He said: “The project was conceived in 2012 by previous administration and the brief was produced. It was estimated at about N21 billion and the facility contains 14-bed space without total area of 2,700 square metres. There will be underground and first floor.
“Two number operating theatre, two number executive suit, two VIP, two isolation and one number of 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 explained to the committee that JBN was picked as the contractor for security reasons having built the edifice and maintaining it since 1990.
The clinic, he explained further, will also be opened to other African countries for medical services.
A member of the committee, Senator Nicolas Tofowomo, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of the Permanent Secretary to show the committee pictorial view of the hospital.
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 of the presidential wing of State House clinic which will be delivered on December 31, 2022.
