President Muhammadu Buhari has signed executive order 11 which gives legal backing to the maintenance of federal public buildings across the country.
Buhari Enforces Maintenance Of Public Buildings
The president signed the order on Wednesday morning before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government (MDAs) to set up maintenance departments in line with the provisions of the new Executive Order.
Signing the documents, Buhari said the order is meant to reinforce the national public building maintenance policy which was approved in 2019.
According to him, the adequate maintenance of public facilities is not just a culture but “an economy from which many can prosper”.
Buhari said, “On the 4th day of January, 2019, the federal ministry of works and housing presented a policy memorandum to the federal executive council seeking for the approval of a draft National Public Building Maintenance Policy which was granted.
“The memorandum highlighted Federal Public Institutions such as Federal Government Colleges, Federal Correctional Facilities, Federal Court Buildings and Federal secretariats where maintenance and facility management were immediately required and recommended that these should be extended to ALL buildings owned and or occupied by Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.
“Some of the expected benefits of the implementation of the approved National Policy on Public Building Maintenance are job creation for skilled and unskilled labour and the expansion of opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises who produce and supply all of the tools and materials required to support maintenance.
“Since the approval of the Policy by the federal executive council, the federal government has consciously started the implementation of maintenance in strategic facilities like the federal secretariats in Abuja, federal secretariats in 24 states of the federation, where at least 40 people are now daily employed in each of those 24 Secretariats in post rehabilitation maintenance and facility management.
“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.”
The president said by the order, he expects ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to make the necessary procurement to enable them carry out their duties.
Buhari said, “It is my hope that this order will open the door to this treasure of opportunities for young technicians, for artisans, for vendors and suppliers and for small businesses and cottage industries.”
Meanwhile, the Debt Management Office (DMO) has revealed that Nigeria’s total public debt has risen to N39.556 trillion under Buhari’s administration.
