Tinubu Inaugurates VP‘s Residence 14 Years After

By: Wisdom Acka

Fourteen years after, President Bola Tinubu on Friday, has commissioned the official residence of Nigeria’s Vice President at the three-arm-zone, Abuja.

The President, who was represented at the occasion by Vice President, Kashim Shettima, stated that the completion of the project was a fulfillment of commitment to efficient use of resources.

He said: “And as we commission the state-of-the-art edifice as 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.”

“I hold a very strong opinion that abandoning projects after substantial expenditures have been invested is inherently wasteful and it is in the best interest of government and the public to see them through to completion,” the President said.

His words: “The decision to complete this project after going through due process is highly commendable.”

The President said that it is no secret that this project has faced numerous challenges over the years, including delays and abandonment by previous administrations.

“However, rather than dwell on shortcomings, we have chosen to seize this opportunity to demonstrate our resolve to confront obstacles head on and deliver on the promises made to the Nigerian people, in line with our ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’, which has the completion of inherited projects as one if its cardinal objectives”, he assured.

Stressing the importance of the project, the President said: “The provision of a suitable residence for the Vice President is not merely a matter of convenience, it is a symbol of respect for the office and the individual who occupies it.”

FCT Minister earlier stated that the project was awarded at the cost of seven billion in 2010, abandoned in 2015 and was revised in January to ₦21 billion.

Lamenting 14-year abandonment of such a critical project, the Minister lauded President Tinubu for his determination and support in completing the residence.

According to him, by August when he visited the project site, it was covered by thick bush where criminals operated; adding that it has also solved issues of criminality.

The Minister at the event, threatened to black list Setraco Construction company for switching off street lights on the newly commissioned Bola Ahmed Tinubu way.

“If that happens again, they won’t get any job as far as FCT is concerned. You can’t go and commission a road and name it after Mr. President and after, you go and put off the lights. I will not accept it”, he threatened.

While reviewing the project, the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi-Ahmad, disclosed that the residence was conceived to provide a befitting accommodation for the Vice President.

He added that the VP’s official residence was built with houses for support staff, such as the Chief Security Officer, Aide De Camp (ADC), places of worship -mosque and chapel, among other complimentary facilities required for effective functioning of the ediface, all totaling 15 units of blocks.

“There are also utility facilities for standby power house, water treatment and of course garages for car parking for public and the VIPs, as well as provision for recreational facilities”, he said.