Hadi Sirika says Nigeria Requires $3.1 Trillion to Meet Infrastructure Needs

Nigeria would need a huge investment of $3.1 trillion dollars to implement the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan over the next 30 years in providing critical infrastructure for the nation’s development, Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has disclosed.Speaking while delivering his lecture at the 8th Engr. Armiya’u Memorial Lecture and Awards, held in Kaduna over the weekend with the theme ‘Sustainable Infrastructural Development For Economic Growth’, the Minister said there was the need to properly fund transport infrastructure, to prevent huge deficits.Ha said, “Prior 2015, Nigeria allocated 7% of GDP to infrastructure. Even though this is at par with other sub-Saharan African nations, it is grossly inadequate to drive the economy to an acceptable performance level especially when compared to countries like Malaysia, and South Africa who allocate 15 to 20% of their GDP to infrastructure.”He suggested that a way out of the infrastructure deficit would be to engage in Public Private Partnership (PPP) which government would partner the private sector to renovate, construct, operate and maintain facility.He added, “PPPs provide an opportunity to improve service delivery by allowing both sectors to do what they do best. Government’s core business is to set policy and protect public interest.’Earlier in his opening remarks, President of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Engr. Otis Anyaeji said that his society has over the years, drawn the attention of the government to the poor state of infrastructure in the country.“The speedy development of our infrastructure is required to advance our economy and deal with a myriad of social issues. Power, oil and gas installations, steel complexes, roads, bridges, water supply scheme communication, airports and railways are all key aspects of infrastructure required for our advancement,” he said.On his part, a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mamman Nasir appealed to professionals to be leaders in their professions saying, it is only when they are leaders that they can begin to salvage the country back to its former self.He said, “This is a most suitable time to recall such excellent and normal citizens such as Engineer Mahmud Urwatu Armiya’u, who served the nation with absolute honesty and patriotism. The normal patriots served with nothing on their minds but the welfare of the people.“It behoves us to continue reminding ourselves of the qualities of such patriots. I have never known any occasion when he was influenced by people, he helped to raise the quality of the young, so we must think of the people, our responsibility and the nation.“It is time to reflect on the qualities of our founding fathers, this is important for those of us in the north which united us in the past for the peace and unity of the country. I have noticed that there are some people trying to destroy our unity and I am appealing that Nigerians emulate the founding fathers which late Armaya’u copied.”While noting that no nation can boast of honour when the people continue inciting each other, he called on the citizenry to stop accusing the leaders in the middle of governance, but rather, advise them saying, Nigerians have a duty to their leaders.He further appealed to those causing disturbances in the country to embrace peace and harmony adding that Nigerians should do their best to show unity and peaceful coexistence.