Infrastructure Development: Minister lauds President Buhari’s achievements

Nigeria’s Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s infrastructure achievements

He gave the commendation during a forum in Abuja titled “President Muhammadu Buhari’s Scorecard 2015-2023,” designed to showcase the achievements of the present administration.

According to Fashola, Infrastructure is the most legitimate way of distributing wealth in Nigeria.

“President Muhammadu Buhari was right when he said the present administration will raise over one hundred million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years.”

The Minister, who used the various economic activities in the sector to explain the impact of the sector on the economy and the lives of Nigerians, said the people are the ultimate beneficiaries of the economic outcome of President Buhari-led government in all sectors.

“The Change Agenda which was unfolded in the Ministry of Works and Housing in 2015 as part of the larger objective of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was to grow the economy through the revamping and expansion of the nation’s infrastructure on a scale that has not been seen in a long while 

“Indeed, the Ministry of Works and Housing is present in all the States of the Federation either through a Road, Bridge, National Housing Programme, Federal Secretariat or Special Intervention Project.”

The Minister explained further that contractors in the country have reported over forty percent rise in adjoining properties to the road in the country.

Fashola also highlighted various Infrastructure projects ongoing and those completed in the country, recounting how Nigerians have benefitted from all the infrastructural development in the country adding that the ministry is also investing in tertiary institutions owned by the government.

“We are also investing in tertiary institutions owned by the government, so we currently in 83 Tertiary Institutions across Nigeria and we have completed 66 projects in 66 of those Universities, we have commissioned 46,” he disclosed

On housing, the Minister said the federal government removed five percent equity contribution for home owners seeking to borrow millions under the federal government Authority,

He also said the government has also reduced contribution from 15 percent to ten percent for those who wish to borrow above five million naira.

“Terms for equity contribution for loan up to five million naira should be taken out completely, you can get your loan up to million without bring equity contribution, for those from five million above it was a different contribution, their equity contribution uses to be 15 percent but reduced to ten percent but more importantly we have introduced rent to own.”

Giving updates on the 2nd Niger Bridge, the Minister confirmed the completion of the construction saying it will soon be released to the public for use.

According to him, the only factor delaying the commissioning of the road is the construction of the link road which the recent surge of flooding has impeded.

He also disclosed that the ministry has signed six thousand three hundred and thirty-seven certificates of occupancy backlog dated since 1992 adding that under the federal land registry about forty-eight thousand files are on the ground and plans are underway to digitalise the registry for faster processes of acquiring housing in the country.

“So we decided to digitalise that sector and we will go live this year,” Fashola added.

PIAK