NAN-HE-24
Infrastructure
By Lilian Chukwu
Lagos, July 5, 2017 (NAN) Mr Ganiyu Johnson, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development in Lagos State, on Wednesday urged Quantity Surveyors to come up with solutions to bridge infrastructural deficits in the state.
Johnson, represented by Mr Akin Francisco, a Secretary in the ministry, gave the advice in Lagos at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop organised by the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS).
Theme of the workshop is: “Finance and Development of Capital Projects – Emerging Solutions’’.
The commissioner said that infrastructural development was the most important reflecting element that form the Lagos Mega City.
According to him, Quantity Surveyors have vital roles to play in the infrastructural development of the state.
He said that the workshop should be a platform for addressing and proffering solutions to infrastructural challenges facing both the state and the nation at large.
“Our plan is to make Lagos State number one of the most liveable states in the world.
“This can be achieved through enhanced infrastructural development.
“I hope that the workshop will add value to infrastructural development of the state so as to make it a true mega city,” he said.
Johnson assured the surveyors of the state government’s support and collaboration in building and designing a liveable mega city in Lagos.
Earlier, Mrs Mercy Iyortyer, President of the institute, urged the three tiers of government to give priority to capital projects to enhance infrastructural development in the country.
Iyortyer said that capital projects were long-term investment projects that could be used to create job opportunities, grow the economy and improve the living standard of the people.
According to her, investing in capital projects remains the solution to the infrastructural deficit, saying that it could be in form of housing development, road construction, among others.
“There is no doubt that Nigerian governments have invested in a lot of capital projects in the past, which majority of them yielded no result.
“But, let’s pay more attention to capital projects because it still remains the solution to the infrastructure challenge facing the country,” she said.
Iyortyer said that capital projects would never yield the anticipated result if effective funding, supervision and maintenance measures were not put in place. (NAN)
LUC/AK/GOK
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Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Olagoke Olatoye