The authorities of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria have appealed to the Federal Government to release the N20m budget for the construction of the institution’s permanent site.

 

The NPMCN President, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade, made the appeal at a pre-convocation briefing in Lagos.

 

According to Arogundade, the sum is part of the required N506m approved by the Ministerial Tenders’ Board, for the construction of the site.

 

“This has been the only capital project in the college since 2009 and we have not received one kobo for it since the third quarter of 2014.

 

The amount budgeted for us this year in the envelope is just N20m out of the required N506, 037, 218,75k remaining from the sum N599,964,877.89k approved by the Ministerial Tenders’ Board to complete the project.

 

 

It is even uncertain that the paltry N20m appropriated will be released this year as we are already at the end of the third quarter,” he said.

 

The president, who said the college had saved the country billions of naira, added that it had produced more than 5,000 fellows since its establishment 36 years ago.

 

He said, “Prior to the establishment of the college, all postgraduate medical trainings were done abroad. The financial burden of that arrangement was enormous and if that were to continue till the present day, the cost would have become unbearable. The college has saved the nation billions of naira over the years, which could have been spent in training these medical specialists if they have had to be trained overseas. In addition, these medical and dental doctors are able to avail citizens of the country their invaluable services during their training since they do not have to leave the country.”

 

BY: FOLASHADE ADEBAYO

THE PUNCH