Photo Caption
His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and Her Excellency the First Lady, Dr. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari (middle), President of the Senate (immediate right of President Buhari), Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha (2nd right), the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari (1st right), Permananent Secretary State House, Alhaji Tijjani Idris Umar (5th from left), Executive Director Administration, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi (4th from left), Regional Manager, Region Cenral North, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Engr. Oliver Berger (3rd from left), Head of Julius Berger’s Abuja Buildings & Facilities, Region Central North, Patricia Brok (2nd left); and Mr Ayyad (far left) at the Commissioning of the Presidential wing of the newly built ultra-modern State House Medical Centre at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Friday
President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has commissioned the newly built ultra-modern Presidential/Vip Wing of the State House Medical Centre located at the Villa, Abuja.
The President who arrived the venue of the ceremony at approximately the stipulated 10.00am was immediately received by a rendition of the national anthem to commence the event.
Permanent Secretary of the State House, Alhaji Tijjani Idris welcomed the President and his amiable wife the First Lady, Dr. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari to the project commissioning ceremony, which he said would not have been possible without the total support of President Buhari as well as the First Lady’s unwavering advocacy.
The Permanent Secretary of the State House also took time to thank the Chief of Staff to the President, and also the Director of Maintenance in the State House, Bldr, Joshua Apagun whom he said had been part of the State House building works since 1999. Alhaji Tijjani Umar also thanked every staff of the State House who contributed to the success of the project.
Turning to the contractors, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Alhaji Tijjani said that the company’s engineering construction capability, competence and reliability veritably represents a masterclass in dependable professionalism.
He said, “Julius Berger is a most competent, capable, reliable and efficient contractor who accomplished the project in a record 12 months period without asking for any cost variations.” He commended Julius Berger for its evidently good work on the project.
President Buhari after cutting the ribbon to officially inaugurate the project for operational use, led his wife, the Chief of Staff, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senior Security chiefs, Honourable members and Distinguished Senators of the National Assembly as well as Executive and senior management officials of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc on a guided tour of the Medical Centre.
Speaking later to media correspondents after the event, the Executive Director administration of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi, who represented the company’s Managing Director Engr. Dr. Lars Richter at the ceremony said, “…the construction of this Medical Centre is a clear testimony to Mr President’s unwavering resolve to provide qualitative infrastructural and other amenities that impact positively on the lives of citizens across the length and breadth of this nation.”
According to Bayi, while the conceptualisation and subsequent start of works for the project began in August 2021, the actual construction works kicked off with the Ground-breaking ceremony by the Chief of Staff to the President on Monday 1st November, 2021.
The scope of works, he said, comprised of a 3-storey structure on an area of 8,500sq2 that contains a full, functioning Medical Centre including, a reception and waiting areas, a radiological department with X-Ray, CT Scan and MRI sections, consulting area, cathlab, theatres, an Intensive Care Unit, executive wards, VIP wards, observation rooms, a physiotherapy unit, a pharmacy, laboratory, laundry, kitchen, a healing garden; and other ancillary facilities.
The general construction works, Bayi further said, included rock excavation for the foundation, reinforced concrete structures, water proofing systems, and top class turnkey finishing works as well as drainages.
Other works include electrical installations, including emergency power supply and fire alarm systems. The building has a gross floor area of approximately 5,000sq.m.
Some Julius Julius Berger officials who accompanied the Executive Director Administration, Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi to the project commissioning ceremony in Abuja included Engr. Oliver Berger, Patricia Brok, Prince Moses Duku and James Agama, amongst others.
