How govt, private sector partnership will bridge infrastructure gap, by Osinbajo

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said collaboration between the Federal Government and the private sector will ensure effective coordination of infrastructural development across the nation and bridge gaps.

According to the Vice President, this explains why the administration set up the National Council on Infrastructure.

Osinbajo spoke, yesterday, at the formal inauguration of the council during a virtual meeting he presided over, saying: “For efficient and effective implementation of infrastructure projects, the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan recommended establishment of the National Council on Infrastructure and its Technical Working Group (TWG).”

Private sector members of the new council include President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mansur Ahmed, and a representative of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Tasiu Wudil.

At the inauguration, attended by Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, Osinbajo said the administration’s National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan was developed to provide “an integrated view of infrastructure development in Nigeria with clear linkages across key sectors and identify enablers for successful implementation, in line with current economic realities.”

Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, in a statement in Abuja, explained that the Master Plan takes stock of existing infrastructure and specifically sets out the goal of raising Nigeria’s infrastructure stock to at least 70 per cent by year 2043.

The statement quoted the Vice President as saying: “The success of the Master Plan will depend, to a large extent, on establishment of a strong implementation mechanism and framework that promotes performance and accountability.”

Osinbajo said the council “is to provide policy direction on infrastructure matters and drive creation and sustenance of the expected synergy and linkages between the public and the private sector to enhance the implementation of the Master Plan, while the TWG is to provide guidance to the council and advise on all infrastructure related matters.”

Noting that the governance structure conforms with global best practices, Osinbajo added: “A well-coordinated and strategic approach will be required to harness private resources to increase the stock of Nigeria’s infrastructure to the desired level by the year 2043.”