After 14 years of awarding the contract for the construction of the official residence of the vice president of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has commissioned the residence which was awarded in 2010 at the cost of N7 billion and was abandoned in 2015 by previous administrations.
Tinubu during the commissioning of the residence yesterday in Abuja, said the project was the ninth in the series of projects completed by the FCT administration under the leadership of the minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike.
The president, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the action of Wike was dedication to duty which is remarkable and stands as a shining example of what a public officer can be, and that the minister is an idea whose time has come.
“He is a force of nature. Coming out by 1 am to inspect the project is a testimony of the quality of leadership we have in the FCT. What you seek is essentially what you get; you should expect from him.
But, most importantly, he is a doer, he is a performer. The president is mightily proud of you, he is proud of your achievement and commitment and he is proud of your loyalty.
“As we commissioned this state-of-the-art edifice in the official residence of the vice president, we are fulfilling a long-standing commitment and reaffirming our unwavering dedication to accountability, transparency and efficient utilization of resources for the betterment of our nation,” he said.
Earlier, the FCT minister said the project was awarded in 2010 at the cost of N7 billion and was abandoned in 2015, adding that it was in January this year that they revised the budget to make it N21billion, which was from N7 billion to additional N14billion.
Underscoring the importance of the project, President Tinubu explained that “the provision of a suitable residence for the vice president is not merely a matter of convenience,” but also “a symbol of respect for the office and the individual who occupies it.
