President Muhammadu Buhari has given assent to Executive Order 11 on national public buildings maintenance.

The signing of the document preceded Wednesday’s cabinet meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.

Speaking shortly before appending his signature, the President 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 the order now gives legal backing to the country’s national maintenance policy, following its earlier approval by the Federal Executive Council.

President Buhari added that the government had already started utilising the policy to give face lift to some of its buildings like the federal secretariat Abuja and 24 others, spread across the country.

“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.

“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. 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 in accordance with the provisions of the public procurement act”, he said.

Meanwhile the President is presiding over the cabinet meeting, which is being attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan.

Others are the Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, Works and Housing, Babtunde Fashola, Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, Women Affairs, Pauline Talen and Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu.

Also present are the Ministers of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as well as Ministers of State Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and that of Science and Technology, Mohammed Abdullahi, among others.

The remaining ministers are attending virtually from their offices in Abuja.