Photo Credit: Leadership

The Federal Government has set an ambitious target of completing the ongoing national library project within the next 20 to 21 months. Minister of Education, Tahir Mammam, made this announcement during a visit to the project site in Abuja on Tuesday, marking his first public engagement.

Originally awarded to Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) in 2006, the library project has faced numerous delays due to insufficient funding released by various administrations. Despite 17 years having passed since the contract’s initiation, more than N50 billion is now required to bring the project to fruition.

Situated at plot 35 of the Central Business District in Abuja, the library’s current state, housed in a rented space, has raised concerns among education stakeholders. The envisioned structure will span eleven floors, comprising two basement levels, a ground floor, eight upper floors, and will feature a perimeter fence, internal roads, and other amenities.

In a recent development, the government greenlit the takeover and funding of the substantial library project by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND). However, during the tour, no visible signs of progress were evident at the construction site.

Minister Mammam, accompanied by an assembly of education stakeholders, underscored the project’s significance to Nigeria and stressed the need for swift completion. He attributed the commitment to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s dedication to fulfilling promises and advancing the nation. Mammam stated that the President’s intolerance for incomplete projects is driving progress and development. Noting the library’s global importance, he asserted that everyone involved must return to the site.

While acknowledging certain challenges, Minister Mammam expressed confidence in meeting the projected timeline: “There are some issues here and there but the project will be completed in about twenty to twenty-one months,” he affirmed.