Buhari signs executive order to ensure maintenance of public buildings

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed executive order 11 to ensure the maintenance of federal public buildings across the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Wednesday, Buhari said the order is meant to reinforce the national public building maintenance policy which was approved in 2019.

The president said the adequate maintenance of the assets is not just a culture but “an economy from which many can prosper”.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“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,” he said.