National library construction to resume before June 2025, Minister confirms
By Matthew Denis
With almost two decade of abandonment, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa has disclosed that works will resume at the construction of the national library before 2025.
The project whose construction began in 2006 and was initially scheduled for completion in 2008, faced numerous setbacks, with work coming to a halt in 2012.
The Minister made the disclosure while inspecting the edifice along with the Chief Liberian of the Federation, Prof. Chinwe Nwakaego on Wednesday.
The Minister said ” Going back in history we have three national monument that were planned for the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja and they’re the national ecumenical center, National Mosque and the National Library. Ironically today the other two have been completed for almost forty years today but we are still battling with the national library which is part of our human capital development.
“we have the highest political will to move this project forward. We have a president, President Ahmed BolaTinubu who believes so much in human capital development of a country, in the capabilities of our youth, the future of our youth, and the abilities to move this country forward. And that’s why the President is committed to moving this this project forward, as you said, it was conceived, was designed in 1981.
According to him it was initially meant to be completed in 2008 works stopped at the site? 2012 so if you count that 15 years, about 15 years ago, nothing has been done on the site,
The Minister emphasized that both TETFUND and UBEC has their clear obligations but the President has directed TETfund to put certain percent of their budget to to be committed for this project.
” We have dedicated fund from TETfund to look back to site, and I’ve spoken to the consultant and the contractors that we have a deadline of moving back to site on or before June of this year, 2025. So many variations on this project, and I can tell you, even the quotation in my memory is not failing me, that contractor Quoted a few years ago to complete the project about N90billion we have to, we have a lot of other competing things that we have to do today. Completing a National Grid is a priority, but there are other priorities. So even if you have to now go back to do the quotation it will go into hundreds of billions.
“we’ll begin by finishing with basement level one, basement level two, the first floor and the second floor and the ground floor. First phase will move to site on or before June of 2025 and let me tell you, to start with the basement level one, basement level two, down floor, first floor
Dr. Alausa stressed that the work will commence and it will be executed from one step to another also minding other national priorities by the President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda
“So, what we’re doing now is dividing it into phases. The first phase will commence on or before June 2025. And let me repeat what the first phase entails. Basement level one, basement level two, ground floor, first floor, and second floor. And all external work. We will finish all the perimeter work and the aesthetic parts of this building,” he added.
