QUESTION 7 OF 23 PRESIDING QUESTIONS FOR 2023 PRESIDENTIAL QUESTS: THEIR AMBITIONS VERSUS OUR CONVICTIONS

 

SECTION B: REVAMP OF PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The overarching legal and policy frameworks supporting the development of physical infrastructure in Nigeria neither represents the needed urgency nor creativity, and does not fully embrace contemporary global practice. When an acclaimed ‘giant’ of Africa spends about 10 years to complete a mere 127.6km-long Lagos-Ibadan highway, the inability of a bragging Federal Government to courageously plug Nigeria’s huge infrastructure gap becomes obvious. Yet, since the advent of civilian rule in 1999, the country’s humongous population has been unreasonably skyrocketing at a higher rate than the delivery of physical infrastructure by the three tiers of government. Of course, the greatest challenge is funding.

The multi-potent private sector channels for financing infrastructure have been poorly explored at the Federal, State and Local Government (LG) levels. As a matter of fact, the closest tier to 98% of Nigerians - the LG councils, has been rendered almost “legally, geographically, administratively, politically and economically” incapacitated in either direct funding of, or ability to seek private partnerships for infrastructure delivery at that critical level. For the States also, a host of intra-State infrastructure are also either in shambles or non-existent. Yet, the Federal Government pretends that the existence and funding of several Federal Ministries and Agencies would automatically extend water, power, roads etc. to my street and even doorway in Akure, Ondo State.

Whereas, I spent N202,000 (two hundred and two thousand naira only) on the purchase and installation of electric poles and wires on my street in 2018, only for a power distribution company to come and inscribe its prints on these items and claim ownership shortly after. That I also paid huge sums to personally hire graders and bulldozers to make a passable road to my street and house, and later mobilized my neighbours to jointly fund the construction of a short-length concrete driveway is worth mentioning as examples of never-acknowledged personal & communal sacrifices/contributions to physical infrastructure, even after paying our taxes.

Consequently, there is a need to rejig the predominant legal and policy impediments to large-scale private sector participation and other creative channels in infrastructure provision across the country. From hospitals, schools, housing, power and water provision to facilities such as roads, rails, airports, seaports, ICT, sports, flood-protection embarkments, oil & gas, tourism & hospitality and telecommunications, our infrastructure profile is extremely poor. Innovative thinking about the legal and policy framework for infrastructure provision at the Federal, State and LGA levels is more urgent, practical and re-assuring than empty campaign promises by 2023 Presidential candidates “to fix all infrastructure” across the country from Aso rock.

Therefore, do you agree that the incoming President needs to publicly admit the Federal government’s inability to meet the enormous physical infrastructure needs of 206 million Nigerians and move swiftly to alter relevant laws and policies to allow ‘appropriately regulated’ participation of the private sector, multilateral organizations etc. in the rapid & massive deployment of infrastructure at all levels of government? Do you agree that States as well as Local governments must be constitutionally empowered to concurrently forge partnerships for funding basic (and sometimes, critical) infrastructure development and not merely sit idly and watch the Federal Government’s ‘Messiah complex’?

a. I strongly agree

b. I agree

c. I disagree

d. I strongly disagree

 

Dr. Adetolu Ademujimi is a Medical Doctor, Author, Reformer, Coach and Public Policy expert who wrote in from Akure in Nigeria. Email: ademujimi@yahoo.co.uk; Twitter: @toluademujimi; Instagram: @adetoluademujimi; Linkedin: @adetolu ademujimi

 

 

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