Amid economic challenges, Tinubu commissions N21bn vice president’s residence

In the face of ongoing economic challenges, President Bola Tinubu commissioned the vice president’s official house, which cost N21 billion to build.

Earlier reports suggested that the National Assembly approved an extra N15 billion for the project, raising its total cost to N21 billion, which provoked popular outrage given the country’s economic situation.

Against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a new national minimum wage – with unions rejecting the government’s proposed N60,000 increment from the current N30,000 – the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) staged a 48-hour economic shutdown in protest.

Addressing concerns over the project’s steep expenditure during the commissioning ceremony, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike clarified that the project, initially valued at N7 billion in 2010, had been left incomplete until President Tinubu intervened, necessitating a budget revision to N21 billion.

During his address, Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, emphasized his administration’s commitment to finalize ongoing projects inherited from previous regimes to avert wasteful spending and uphold transparency and accountability.

Tinubu stressed the importance of completing such projects, not just for practical purposes but also as a symbol of respect for the office they represent, aligning with his administration’s agenda of Renewed Hope, which prioritizes project completion as a key objective.