Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Wife of the Nigerian President, Aisha Buhari, has disclosed that the African First Ladies Peace Mission secretariat to be built in Abuja will be ready within 11 months.
The First Lady, who is also President of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, made this known Monday at the signing of the contract for the construction of the secretariat at her office in the State House, Abuja.
The contract for the five-storey building, which sum was not disclosed, is to be executed by A and K construction company and will be sited along Airport road in Abuja.
Aisha Buhari, enjoined the contractor to keep to the 11 month period for the project to be completed and ready for inauguration by 2023.
She had earlier welcomed the first Executive Secretary of the Mission, Mrs Oley Dibba Wadda, who resumed formally at the temporary secretariat of the African First Ladies Peace Mission domiciled at the First Lady’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to her, the mission is an organization for the African First Ladies purposely initiated and approved by the then OAU and now AU to promote peace in Africa.
She said: “Mrs Awwada has been appointed as an executive secretary of the African First Ladies peace mission in accordance with the standard of ECOWAS, and AU and any other international organization standard.
“She is to take charge of the mission and report back to me, to develop strategic plan and activities of the progress of the mission. So, you’re welcome to Nigeria and you’re welcome to Africa first ladies peace mission. So today we are going to have a formal hand over from the Co-ordinator, Mrs Beatrice Bassey to Mrs Oley Wadda as the new executive secretary of the African first ladies peace mission”.
Responding, Mrs Wadda thanked Mrs Buhari for the opportunity to work “with your team, and to work with the African first ladies peace mission, to ensure that we amplify, we make visible, and that we are able to promote for the mission, the purpose, the vision of the African First Lady’s peace mission, including your legacy, as the current president of the African First Lady’s peace mission.
She promised to focus on development work, even though the mission is a humanitarian mission by supporting the initiatives of education, health, youth empowerment, among others.
