Senator Omisore Gives Panacea to Nigerian Infrastructural Decadence

The former Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, and ex-chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has identified infrastructural deficit as a bane to socio-economic problem in Nigeria, suggested viable Public Private Partnership (PPP) as the only way out of the challenge.

Omisore, gave the recommendation at the 10th Roundtable  organised by the Staff Club of Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-ife, Osun state, on Wednesday.

Speaking extensively on the theme: “Public Private Partnership: Solution to the Infrastructure Deficit in Nigeria”, the former gubernatorial aspirant advocated a robust enlightenment campaign to educate Nigerian populace on the inherent scope of PPP.

According to him, the concept completely removes bureaucratic constraints from execution of important and sensitive projects to the benefit of the populace.

He explained that the only way government could quickly deliver on its promise to turn around infrastructural decadence is through PPP.

” The real and simple definition of PPP is strategy to enhance efficiency in infrastructural development, to make people get value for their money.

“It is indeed a conscious way to  provide infrastructure or services required by the public, as quickly as possible and in the most efficient manner”, he said.

Omisore however emphasised lack of political will on the part of the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC), to recognise array of laudable policies on infrastructural development initiated by the previous administrations of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

” One of the problems confronting public procurement is the absence of political will on the part of this present  administration to see through the policies of a previous administrations.

“Concessionaries are aware of a negative tendency by a new administration not to honour all the tenets of an arrangement by a departed administration, they are often inclined to speed up the commissioning of projects before the date of departure of a sitting administration, with avoidable increase in the cost of project,” Omisore said.

The former Senator took a swipe at the judiciary system in Nigeria for what he termed  as delays in PPP projects, as a result of the slow pace of judicial administration and adjudication, noting that the judiciary has a critical role to play in facilitating infrastructural growth in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Prof. Anthony Elujoba, in his earlier remarks extolled  Omisore for his contributions to the Ivory Tower during his tenure as the  Appropriation Committee Chairman at the red chamber, urging him to do more.

Elujoba also called on Alumni of the university to rally round  the university in its developmental drive.

“I want to solicit your help in prayer. We must all be spiritually inclined in God. There’s no peace, there is no progress. We need peace to progress,” he resorted.