Ngige Reveals FG Has Spent N1bn On Ekwueme’s Burial

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has revealed that the Federal Government has spent N1bn on the late Alex Ekwueme’s burial.

The funeral rites of the late former vice president, who died in a London hospital last year, commenced on January 19, 2018 and the Buhari-led government was determined to give him a befitting burial.

Ngige, after visiting Oko, in Anambra State where the late sage hailed from, to inspect the burial preparations expressed his satisfaction towards the work done.

He said: “I am reasonably satisfied with the preparations. I was here last week for inspection and between then and now, work has progressed. The contractors have assured us that all the roads leading into Oko will be very motorable before the burial ceremonies start on February 1 at Oko.

“The tomb, which is being financed by the Federal Government, is okay and the contractors have assured us that it will be handed over to us on Tuesday. The helipad, which the Vice President will use, has also been identified.

“Anambra State government is also cooperating because it is constructing some internal roads in Oko and its environs to facilitate movement. The leader of the medical team, Professor Igwegbe of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi is already on ground with his men and I believe that in the next 48 hours, everything will be in place.”

Giving further details on the burial, Nigige said, “So the insinuation in some quarters that government has not done much is not true. What Buhari has committed into the burial is nothing less than N1 Billion. The family can also not say that it is not carried along because they are represented in all the burial committees.

“The first son of the late Vice President, Pastor Obi Ekwueme is a member of the national burial committee and the committee permitted him to send a member in all the sub-committees we have.”