Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has expressed displeasure over the abandoned Federal Government Printing Press Project situated in Asokoro, Abuja.
The Printing Press serves as the official printer of the Federal Government, responsible for producing sensitive national documents, including that of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja after touring the facilities, the Information Minister described the abandonment of the multi-billion-naira project as unacceptable and inconsistent with the Federal Government’s renewed focus on prudence, accountability, and optimal use of public assets under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Shockingly, many of the machines, imported from countries such as Germany and India, remain unopened in their original crates more than a decade later, with some of the technology now 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”, he said.
The Minister recalled that the foundation stone for the facility was laid in 2001 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, noting that the project is about 70 per cent completed, with several high-grade printing pieces of equipment supplied as far back as 2007.
“… Even the official gazette that should be printed by the Federal Ministry of Information cannot be printed here directly. It’s heart-wrenching. It’s really very displeasing that we have this kind of edifice in the heart of Abuja and successive administrations have done nothing about it.”
The Minister noted that the prolonged inactivity of the facility, has forced the government to outsource printing jobs that ought to be handled internally, undermining efficiency and national capacity.
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“They are all in their crates. They have not been opened for installation. At that time, we needed just a fraction of money to see this completed. But now, of course, with inflation, we know what that means. It’s billions of Naira in waste here. So we thought that we cannot continue to close our eyes to see this facility wasting further. Therefore, something has to be done,” Idris stressed.
The Minister, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, the Acting Director in charge, and other senior officials of the Ministry, explained that the visit was undertaken to enable leadership to see the situation firsthand, conduct a proper stock-taking, and take informed management decisions.
“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. The current situation of this place is not acceptable. A lot of money was sunk here…”, he explained.
During the inspection, it was revealed that key infrastructure at the site, including a brand-new 2000 KVA generator installed in 2011, has never been put to use.
The Information Minister further reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to transparency, responsible governance, and the efficient management of public resources, in line with President Tinubu’s directive that every naira spent must deliver value to the Nigerian people.
The foundation stone was laid in 2001 when work commenced, but later stopped in 2016 and thereafter, hoodlum vandalised equipment in the administrative block and other facilities.