Minister of Works and Housing, Mr.Babatunde Raji Fashola, Friday, explained why he worked till his last day in office, saying that jobs should be done for the benefit of Nigerians.
To this end, he said, Nigerians were still asking him to sign their Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) before he leaves office.
Fashola spoke yesterday in Abuja at the contract signing ceremony for the Value-Added Concession (VAC) under the Highways Development & Management Initiative (HDMI).
He said: “Today, some people still send me messages saying ‘please sign my C of O before you go’. Even if today is my last day here, documents need to be signed so that we can move on to the next phase”.
Fashola said the event was another demonstration of the ministry’s innovative commitment to fixing the nation’s federal road network through a multi-pronged approach.
The Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Folorunso Esan, in his address, said the HDMI was created to develop and manage the federal road network to attract sustainable investment and funding.
“The rationale behind the private sector engagement is to provide an alternative avenue to finance road development and management in the country,” he said.
The Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr. Michael Ohiani, said: “The projects have the potential to attract investments worth over N1.134 trillion in addition to job creation of opportunities for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour.”
Also, the Director General, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alexander Okoh, said: “This initiative will not only improve connectivity but also provide safer and more reliable travel for commuters, reduce congestion, and facilitate the movement of goods and services.”
