The Federal Government has budgeted N21billion for the construction of the proposed 14-bed Presidential Clinic, also known as Aso Rock Clinic.
The Permanent Secretary, State House, Umar Tijjani, made this known on Thursday while presenting the 2022 budget for Aso Rock to members of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Tijjani said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the construction of the clinic by Julius Berger Nigeria and the Bureau of Public Procurement has approved the Certificate of No Objection.
According to him, the physical construction of the clinic would start on November 1, 2021, while the commissioning would be done on December 31, 2022.
He stated the clinic would contain 14-bed facilities on a total area of 2,700 square meters, adding that there would also be underground, the first floor, two number operating theatre,
Tijani further disclosed that there would be two number Executive Suit, two VIPs, two isolation, one six-bed isolation area, a laboratory, healing garden, Pharmacy and an X-ray facility in the clinic.
When completed, the permanent secretary informed the committee that the clinic would be opened to other Africa countries for medical treatments.
He said: “The project was conceived in 2012 by the previous administration and the brief was produced. It was estimated at about N21 billion and the facility contains 14-bed space within a total area of 2,700 square meters.
“There will be underground and first floor, two number operating theatre, two number executive suite, two VIP, two Isolation and one number of six-bed isolation area.
“Most of the preliminary works have been concluded. Mr. President has approved the project. We have gone to the Bureau of Public Procurement to get Certificate of No Objection.”
On the choice of contractor, Tijani said Julius Berger Nigeria was picked “because they built the State House and have been maintaining it since 1990 and most importantly, it was considered for security reason.”
Reacting, a member of the committee, Senator Nicolas Tofowomo (PDP – Ondo South) expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of the permanent secretary to show the committee pictorial views of the proposed clinic.
This article was originally published on Naija News