A pro-human rights group, the Royal Peoples Platform, RPP, has expressed its full support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s initiative of developing the infrastructure to develop the economy, insisting that, there is a close link between the two developmental phenomena.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Prince Dare Aladekoba, the group, reminded that President Buhari’s administration has an insatiable appetite for infrastructure development, like good road networks, durable bridges, functional rail system, stable power supply, airports, affordable but solid houses, and working refineries, adding that nobody needs a soothsayer to know that the President is driving towards economic emancipation of the country.
Aladekoba averred that this must have explained the rationale behind the appointment of been someone with a good track records like former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola to be part of his cabinet.
The Convener agreed with the President that the former two-term governor of Lagos State fits the bill to handle greater parts of the job of infrastructure development.
He further added that without mincing words, it is on record that Buhari’s administration, through the Ministry of Works and Housing under the leadership of Fashola, has reduced drastically, the housing deficit the country has been grappling with over the years, praising the dogged commitment of Mr President to use infrastructure development to drive the economy on all fronts.
The RPP said that it is gratifying to note that, only administration of a determined person like Buhari, could reverse such deficit suffered by the country in spite of huge revenue accrued from oil for several decades before he (Buhari) came on board on May 29, 2015, disclosing that, some monitors sent out came back with the success story that Buhari is right on course in his infrastructure development initiative.
Disagreeing with a former former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, that Buhari can not grow the economy with infrastructural development on the one hand, the RPP on the other hand agreed with the Senior Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, that the construction of a link bridge between Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon, a laudable initiative, would benefit both countries immensely in several ways.
Adesina had averred that the bridge will facilitate free trade between the two countries, and thus boost the economy for the two friendly countries, meaning that “President Buhari’s insatiable lust for infrastructural development has taken a leap further towards yielding fruitful results that, apart from boosting economy and commerce, the project will also facilitate joint border patrol to curb all forms of criminality.”
The organization reminded that Fashola has just recently inspected the newly constructed 1.5 kilometre two-lane bridge on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon in Ekot-Mfum, Etung Local Government Area of Cross River, Nigeria, where he enthused that the inspected project would facilitate free trade across the borders of the two countries, and thereby boost the economy further.
RPP also pointed out that besides boosting trade and commerce that would have multiplier effect on the economy, the project would also strengthen relations between both countries and improve cross-border security, pointing out that it is when there is security that free flow of trade would be guaranteed to have positive effect on the economy.
The organization therefore urged the President to discountenance detractors and fix his eyes on the ball, praising him for walking his talk over his pre-May, 2015 electioneering promises to develop, renew, renovate and expand old infrastructure and leave a commendable legacy that would outlive him.
The organization therefore stressed the need to assist, support and cooperate with the administration to succeed in its efforts at developing the infrastructure to grow the economy, reminding that, developed infrastructure and economic growth are one and indivisible entity.
