OAU graduates take on infrastructure decay

The Lagos State chapter of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA) has said it will device a plan to deal with decay in critical infrastructure. In this regard, the association organised its 19th annual public lecture on Sunday on ‘Human Development, Energy and Enabling Infrastructure: Imperative for Sustainable Economic Growth and Inclusive National […]

The Lagos State chapter of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA) has said it will device a plan to deal with decay in critical infrastructure.

In this regard, the association organised its 19th annual public lecture on Sunday on ‘Human Development, Energy and Enabling Infrastructure: Imperative for Sustainable Economic Growth and Inclusive National Development’.

In his welcome address, the chairman, Mr. Goke Adeyemi said Nigeria’s stunted growth could be attributed to dearth of infrastructural development, inadequate energy development strategies, and inefficient government policies, among others.

He said, “the topic has been chosen to address the huge deficits in the areas of human development, energy and enabling infrastructure in Nigeria. There is no gainsaying the fact that investing in sustainable and enabling infrastructure is key to tackling the three central challenges facing the Nigerian communities on reigniting growth, delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals, and reducing climate risk in line with the Paris agreement.”

In his keynote address, the guest speaker and Lagos State deputy governor-elect, Dr. Kadiri Hamzat, said over the past four years, the country witnessed record investments in critical infrastructure.

He said, “the economy has moved from one dependent on oil revenues that perpetually fuel an inexhaustible demand for imported goods and services, to one that maximises non-oil revenues to develop domestic productive capacity and create local jobs for our people.”

A panelist and Managing Director, Matrix Energy, Alhaji Abdulkabir Aliu, spoke on how the private sector can help in infrastructure development, and hinted on some of the actions of government scared away private players.

According to him, “before a private personality comes into business, the government doesn’t know him. But immediately he starts a business no matter how little; harassment begins from several government quarters. This should be looked into by the government.”