By Abubakar Yunusa
Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit has been one of the biggest factors holding back its growth and development. To address the challenge, a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement is required, Engr. Yerima Musa Ahmed has said.
Yerima disclosed this while speaking with The Explainer on the sidelines of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Abuja Chapter February 2024 General Meeting, in Abuja, yesterday.
He attributed the deficit in infrastructure in Nigeria to a lack of adequate funding.
“We cannot run away from it,” he said.
“Infrastructure deficit is a national issue, and government accounts alone cannot address the infrastructure requirements of the people.
“Government needs to partner with the private sector, and they have to be willing to come in to support the government so that the issue of infrastructure deficit can be addressed,” he added.
Speaking about the transportation system in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Yerima said a comprehensive transportation system was captured in the city’s master plan, and that adequate provisions were made in the Abuja regional plan.
He said “The whole idea is to interconnect the city itself with other regional parts of the FCT and other neighbouring states, like Nasarawa and people from Keffi.
“The development of such transportation is in phases and sequential; it has to be in stages. As it stands now, the government is doing its best to ensure that provisions are available to ease transportation within the city.”
