By Oluwaseun Sonde
The Permanent Secretary, Works and Housing Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali has reiterated that Federal Government’s determination for completion and commissioning infrastructure highway projects across the country is on top gear.
Alkali stated that in Kano, at the meeting of Permanent Secretaries at the on-going 28th Meeting of the National Council on Works with the theme, "Infrastructure, The Season of Completion.”
Alkali said that the timing of the Council meeting is very auspicious and apt as it affords the delegates opportunity to think through and make necessary arrangements, meaningful contributions as well as take critical steps to ensure that road infrastructure projects are completed on time and commissioned.
“In order to ensure that the target of completing and commissioning of these projects is achieved, it has become necessary for stakeholders to consider and provide creative and contemporary ideas and policy suggestions that will support the attainment of the above target,” he said.
Alkali reminded the Permanent Secretaries that they are expected to have the objectives of the National Development Plan 2021 - 2025 in mind as they look at ways of ensuring that road projects are completed and commissioned in order to galvanize national growth and sustainability.
He added that the recommendations of the meeting should focus on restoring economic growth, the ease of doing business, investing in our people and creating a competitive economy through the provision of good road networks across the country.
He also charged the body of Permanent Secretaries to ensure that money spent on roads and bridges improves the economy and imparts on the citizens positively.
The Permanent Secretary appreciated the government and people of Kano State for hosting this year’s Council on Works. “I must quickly thank our host, the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, (Khadimul Islam) and the good people of Kano State for the gesture of receiving us to deliberate on this crucial theme.
"Which was carefully chosen to ensure that the massive spending of public funds by governments at all levels in highways and other roads infrastructure to ensure smooth mobility and access duly accounted for through completed and commissioned roads across the country,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development Kano State, Engr. Idris Wada Saleh said that it is desirable for government at all levels to strive hard to complete ongoing infrastructural projects within the remaining periods of their tenures.
In order to ensure successful completion and sustainability of highway projects Engr. Saleh urged successive administrations to take it as a duty to complete outstanding infrastructural projects that might be left uncompleted before the end of the tenures of the present leadership to ensure judicious utilization of public funds and continuity.
He welcomed and congratulated the delegates for having the unique opportunity to attend the highly educative meeting to contribute to national development and wished the delegates fruitful deliberations and a peaceful stay in Kano, the state capital.
The meeting of Permanent Secretaries reviewed 46 memoranda submitted by stakeholders under six (6) Thematic Syndicate Groups: 1.Policy Formulation and Implementation 2.Completion of infrastructure and economic growth: The role of maintenance 3. Institutional strengthening.
4.Completion of infrastructure as a policy priority policy and funding priority of ease of doing business
5.Sustainable funding as a catalyst for completion of infrastructure in Nigeria6.Socio-economic impacts of the completed infrastructure.
A presentation on New Innovations on use of Alternative Technologies in Roads Infrastructure Development was presented at the meeting.
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