The Federal Government has expressed concern over the abandonment of a multi-billion-naira project established during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The project, a long-abandoned Government Printer facility in Abuja, was visited by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Idris, in a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, described the facility as a stark example of waste and neglect.
He noted that the situation contradicts the Federal Government’s commitment to prudence, accountability and efficient management of public assets under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to a statement signed by the minister’s media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, the project, whose foundation stone was laid in 2001 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is about 70 per cent complete.
The inspection revealed that several high-grade printing machines supplied as far back as 2007 remain sealed in their original crates more than a decade after delivery.
Some of the equipment, imported from countries including Germany and India, has reportedly become obsolete due to prolonged neglect.
“It is heart-wrenching to see this level of waste in the heart of Abuja.
“At a time when government is working hard to conserve resources and look inward, it is unacceptable that such a massive investment has been allowed to deteriorate year after year,” the minister said.
The Government Printer is the official printing arm of the Federal Government, responsible for producing sensitive national documents, including the Federal Government Gazette and other key publications of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
The minister noted that the prolonged inactivity of the facility had forced the government to outsource printing jobs that should ordinarily be handled internally, resulting in avoidable expenditure.
According to the statement, the inspection also revealed that critical infrastructure at the site remains unused, including a 2,000 KVA generator installed in 2011 that has never been put into operation.
Idris was accompanied on the inspection by the Permanent Secretary, the Acting Director in charge of the facility and other senior officials of the ministry.
He explained that the visit was aimed at enabling the leadership to assess the situation firsthand, conduct proper stock-taking and make informed decisions on the way forward.
“We have come to see things for ourselves. We will return to make concrete recommendations to Mr President and the Federal Executive Council on the best way to revitalise this facility and put it to use for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.