BY CHARLES ABUEDE
President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria on Wednesday signed an ‘Executive Order 11’ on national public buildings maintenance in the country. The document signing preceded the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held virtually at the council chambers, in Abuja.
President Buhari, shortly before the signing, directed all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to set up maintenance departments in line with the provisions of the new Executive Order, saying the order gives legal backing to the country’s national maintenance policy, following its earlier approval by the FEC.
The president further added that the government had already started utilising the policy to give a facelift to some of its buildings, like the federal secretariat in Abuja, and 24 others spread across the country.
“Since the approval of the policy by the Federal Executive Council, the federal government has consciously started the implementation of maintenance of strategic facilities like the federal secretariat Abuja and federal secretariats in 24 states of the federation, where at least 40 people are now daily employed in each of those 24 secretariats.
“The office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation has approved the establishment of a department of federal public assets maintenance as a vital step in support of the implementation of this national policy, which is unprecedented in our history and approach to maintenance.
“In order to ensure the fullest implementation and impact of the policy, it is my pleasure to sign this Executive Order that ties maintenance directly to our economy.
“By this Order, I expect Ministries, Departments and Agencies to set out and ensure the operation of their maintenance departments and make necessary procurements for their maintenance in accordance with the provisions of the public procurement act,” Buhari said while appending his signature to the documents.
In the meantime, the FEC meeting, which was presided over by the president also had Yemi Osinbajo, vice president in attendance physically, alongside Boss Mustapha, the secretary to government of the federation; Ibrahim Gambari, chief of staff to the president; Folashade Yemi-Esan, the head of the civil service of the federation; and other ministers, who were present physically, as well as other members of the council who attended virtually from their various offices.
