The new law which mandates the government to institutionalize maintenance of public buildings was signed into law moments before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting attended virtually today by the President.
Having signed the order into law, Buhari noted that the maintenance of public facilities has gone beyond just a culture but an economy, employing Nigerians.
The President reiterates that the order now gives legal backing to the country’s national maintenance policy, following its earlier approval by the Federal Executive Council.
According to Buhari, the government had already started adopting the policy to give a facelift to some of its buildings like the Federal Secretariat Abuja and 24 others spread across the country, OBSERVERSTIMES reports.
Speaking further, Buhari at the FEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa, directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government (MDAs) to set up maintenance departments in line with the provisions of the new Executive Order.
He said: “Since the approval of the policy by the Federal Executive Council, the federal government has consciously started the implementation of maintenance of strategic facilities like the federal secretariat Abuja and federal secretariats in 24 states of the federation, where at least 40 people are now daily employed in each of those 24 secretariats.
“The office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation has approved the establishment of a department of federal public assets maintenance as a vital step in support of the implementation of this national policy, which is unprecedented in our history and approach to maintenance.
“To ensure the fullest implementation and impact of the policy, it is my pleasure to sign this Executive Order that ties maintenance direct to our economy.
“By this Order, I expect Ministries, Departments and Agencies to set out and ensure the operation of their maintenance departments and make necessary procurements for their maintenance by the provisions of the public procurement act,” he said.
