Tijjani Umar, the permanent secretary of the State House, led a group of presidential assistants on a pre-handover inspection of the Presidential Wing of the State House Medical Center on Friday in Abuja.
The Permanent Secretary was accompanied by the Senior Special Assistants to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, Sarki Abba, and the Chief Personal Physician to the President, Dr. Sanusi Rafindadi, according to a State House press release signed by Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye, on Friday.
After the inspection, Umar stated that a lot of progress had been made and that the equipment was still being unpacked and installed.
”This has provided an opportunity to assess what has been achieved till date. This inspection also affords us an excellent opportunity to make observations to the contractors on what we have seen.
”We are doing this so as to know what is on the ground and to get ready for the official commissioning of the project when Mr President approves,” he said.
On his impression of the project, the Chief Physician to the President described it as ”world class and state-of-the-art,” with the ability to carry out several medical procedures.
Rafindadi expressed satisfaction with the state of the project, commending the State House management team, led by Umar, for tirelessly working on the signature project.
Also speaking, Sarki Abba thanked the President for approving the project, while also commending Julius Berger, the contractors, for delivering on schedule, less than a year after the foundation laying ceremony was performed by Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari .
In his project description, the Director, Maintenance, State House, Joshua Apagu, said the project which is a Specialized/Intensive Care Center dedicated for the exclusive use of the President, Vice President and other VIPs, is situated on one suspended floor and basement .
The Center contains Executive Suites, VIP Suites, Emergency Rooms, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Operating Theatres, Conference room for emergency meetings, among others.