Lawan Urges FG to Adopt PPP Approach in Construction of Major Roads

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, yesterday urged the
executive arm of government to adopt a Public-Private Partnership
(PPP) approach so that necessary funding needed for the completion
of some major roads in the country will be provided by
investors.

Lawan made the appeal in his contribution in support of a motion
on the need for the construction of the Badagry/Sokoto expressway,
which was sponsored by Senator Umar Sadiq Suleiman and 11
others.

He noted that the government needed not to provide all the
funding, hence the need to come up with a proposal on how these
roads would be funded.

According to him, “If roads, including those that may be termed
not economically viable, are neglected, the communities in those
areas will never see improved prosperity.

“There are some roads you construct or build through PPP
arrangements. But the government is supposed to consider some
roads, especially those that may be termed not economically viable,
because, if you neglect them, the communities in those areas will
never see correct prosperity-where roads are supposed to help
provide that.

“This is a major road, and there will be a lineup of investors
wanting to invest. Since we have companies that are willing-there
are many consortiums that came into Nigeria seeking to invest on
roads-so we should provide the legislative support and comfort for
such companies to feel that when they invest, they are able to get
back profits. We should be on same page with the executive arm of
government, and our committees should engage the Federal Ministry
of Works in particular to ensure that this particular road sees
some kind of revival.”

Moving the motion earlier, Suleiman noted that the
Badagry-Sokoto expressway is a federal government road which
connects 12 states.

He stressed that he was aware that the road was initiated as
part of the fourth National Development Plan, which was commenced
by the General Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd) regime in 1978, but was
abandoned in 1979, over 40 years now after he handed over power to
late President Shehu Shagari.

According to him, “The road, if constructed, will boost food and
agricultural production, sustain youth employment and employability
as well as improve cross-border market and international trade.

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, yesterday urged the
executive arm of government to adopt a Public-Private Partnership
(PPP) approach so that necessary funding needed for the completion
of some major roads in the country will be provided by
investors.

Lawan made the appeal in his contribution in support of a motion
on the need for the construction of the Badagry/Sokoto expressway,
which was sponsored by Senator Umar Sadiq Suleiman and 11
others.

He noted that the government needed not to provide all the
funding, hence the need to come up with a proposal on how these
roads would be funded.

According to him, “If roads, including those that may be termed
not economically viable, are neglected, the communities in those
areas will never see improved prosperity.

“There are some roads you construct or build through PPP
arrangements. But the government is supposed to consider some
roads, especially those that may be termed not economically viable,
because, if you neglect them, the communities in those areas will
never see correct prosperity-where roads are supposed to help
provide that.

“This is a major road, and there will be a lineup of investors
wanting to invest. Since we have companies that are willing-there
are many consortiums that came into Nigeria seeking to invest on
roads-so we should provide the legislative support and comfort for
such companies to feel that when they invest, they are able to get
back profits. We should be on same page with the executive arm of
government, and our committees should engage the Federal Ministry
of Works in particular to ensure that this particular road sees
some kind of revival.”

Moving the motion earlier, Suleiman noted that the
Badagry-Sokoto expressway is a federal government road which
connects 12 states.

He stressed that he was aware that the road was initiated as
part of the fourth National Development Plan, which was commenced
by the General Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd) regime in 1978, but was
abandoned in 1979, over 40 years now after he handed over power to
late President Shehu Shagari.

According to him, “The road, if constructed, will boost food and
agricultural production, sustain youth employment and employability
as well as improve cross-border market and international trade.