Infrastructural deficits: FG shifts focus to Public Private Partnerships
*Needs to bridge gap with $3trn investments in next 30 years
Joseph Inokotong, Abuja
The Federal Government is to focus more on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) with the view to correcting the infrastructural deficit in the country.
This was disclosed Wednesday in Abuja by the Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex A. Okoh, who stated that it would replace the next phase of the Reform and Privatisation Programme.
He noted that “the country’s infrastructure gap is huge as it is estimated that Nigeria needs to invest more than USD Three Trillion in the next 30 years to bridge the gap; and average of $100 billion per annum for the next 6 years”.
Okoh made the remarks when he received a delegation from the World Bank led by the Senior Economist (Economics and Private Sector Development), Mr. Volker Treichel who visited the Bureau in Abuja recently.
The Director General who was, represented by Director, Infrastructure and Public Private Partnership Department of the Bureau, Mallam Sanusi Sule, said the new phase targets reforms mostly in the utility and infrastructure sectors which include; water resources, railways airports and highways.
In a statement by Head, Public Communications, BPE, Amina Tukur Othman, he stated that the need for refocusing on PPP was borne out of the increasing budgetary constraints to fund the development of new infrastructure and effectively maintain existing ones; deteriorating infrastructure (dilapidated roads, schools, hospitals etc); higher public expectations in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of infrastructure service delivery.
According to him, the country’s infrastructure stock was too low for any meaningful development and that “the public sector cannot afford to provide the resources required to bridge the huge infrastructural gap”.
He added that the most feasible option is to attract private sector investments and the Bureau is working assiduously with key stakeholders to come up with a robust framework and process for implementing and managing PPPs in the country.
Leader of the delegation, Mr. Volker Treichel said the visit was part of the World Bank private sector diagnostic assessment of the Public sector in Nigeria.
He added that the Bank was also looking for opportunities to provide short term assistance to the Bureau in the next three years.
Ex-Deputy Gov sues Ondo govt over non-payment of pensions
Adewale Momoh, Akure
Former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo has sued the state government for over nonpayment of his gratuities and pension.
The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice had in a letter affirmed that Oluboyo was entitled to his gratuity but silence on his monthly pension as passed into law by the State House of Assembly.
However, Oluboyo who replaced Alhaji Ali Olanusi after his impeachment disagreed with the letter regards which only recognized the two-year period he was in office.
He emphasized that he is entitled to all benefits of his former office as Deputy Governor as stipulated in the laws of the state.
The letter which was titled “Re: Request for payment of arrears of monthly allowance of Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo” and addressed to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Department, Governor’s Office, read in parts that, “I am directed to advice you that His Excellency, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo is entitled to his emoluments and monthly arrears yet unpaid covering the period for which he was in office between 27th April, 2015 and 24th February, 2017.”
In a suit no AK/75/2019 file in the High Court of Ondo State with the Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice as well as the Ondo State Pensions Board as defendants, the claimant, Alhaji Oluboyo prayed for the payment of what is died to him as former number two citizen of the state.
“A DECLARATION that the Claimant having assumed the office of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State and having served meritoriously in that capacity is entitled to the payment of arrears of his pension, allowances, benefits and all other entitlements due and payable to him as former Deputy Governor of Ondo State.
“A DECLARATION that the letter dated 12th February, 2019 written by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry if Justice to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Department, limiting the payment of the monthly allowances and entitlement of the Claimant to the period within which he was in office as Deputy Governor of Ondo State, between 27th April, 2015 and 24th February 2017, is null and void having contravened the provision of the Law to provide for Pensions to the Governor and Deputy Governor of Ondo State and for other Ancillaey matters, 2004.
“A DECLARATION that the Claimant is entitled to the payment of his pension, allowances benefits and all other entitlements for life having served as Deputy Governor of Ondo State between 27th April, 2015 and 24th February, 2007 equivalent to the annual salary of an incumbent Governor or Deputy Governor.
“A MANDATORY ORDER directing the Defendants to pay all arrears of pension, allowances benefits and all other entitlements due and payable to the Claimant as a former Deputy Governor of Ondo State and to pay his pension for life at the rate equivalent to the annual salary of an incumbent Governor or Deputy Governor.”
Also the Claimant is seeking for the sum of N10 million as damages to compensate for his “untold hardship, emotional distress, scorn and ridicule to which the action of the Defendants exposed the Claimant to,”
