The Permanent Secretary of State House, Tijjani Umar, on Thursday presented a budget proposal of N21 billion Naira for the construction and equipping of the Presidential VIP wing of the State House Clinic in Abuja before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs.
Umar presented a budget estimate of 40.148 billion Naira for the 2022 fiscal year, more than two times higher than the 2021 Budget of 17.344 billion Naira.
He noted that the additional 22 billion Naira is in view of the proposed site of the Presidential VIP wing of the State House Clinic, which he termed a legacy project for the Buhari administration.
According to him, N158 million was realised for the site appraisal report and preliminary preparation for the proposed presidential wing of the State House Clinic in 2019.
The facility will comprise a 14-bed space with a total area of 2700 square meters, 2 operating theatres, 2 executive suites, 2 solation suits, 5 consultancy clinics, a healing garden, a pharmacy, and an x-ray, facility among others.
He affirmed that the physical construction is expected to commence November 1 with a proposed date of completion of 31st of December 2022.
Senator Tofowomo Nicholas (Ondo South) faults the Permanent Secretary for not making available appropriate documentary and visual evidence of the proposed site to match what is proposed in the 2022 Budget describing it as a talk shop.
Senator Frank Ibezim (Imo North), reacting to the submission of the Permanent Secretary, questioned why most VIPs in Nigeria travel abroad for medical tourism instead of using the existing State House Clinic.
The lawmakers resolved for oversight to the proposed site by December 2021.
The State House in 2020 had a budget of N14.6 billion, N13.7 billion in 2019; N15.5 billion was allocated in 2018; in 2017, N13.6 billion was allocated; and N16.6 billion in 2016.