Affirming that local Engineers are better trained, a former Minister of Works, Mr Adeseye Ogunlewe, has enjoined the government to patronize Nigerian Engineers in the construction of roads, warning that “it is very wrong to be awarding construction contracts to foreigners.”
Mr Ogunlewe made the suggestion on our breakfast show, Sunrise Daily, where he was speaking on the poor state of the nation’s road networks.
He noted that foreign contractors such as the“Chinese, Lebanese and Indians have no commitment in fixing our roads.”
The former Minister further alluded that the foreign contractors are very clever persons who know how to carry along government officials and they think very fast.
In explaining what he meant by foreign contractors being ‘very clever’, Mr Ogunlewe allege that “the (foreign) Engineers and the their companies get very close to government officials and even their families and they also give gifts and tickets to travel abroad.”
“They are very skilled at this (persuasion) because they are trained in it” he added.
He enjoined indigenous Engineers to be encouraged by “putting a number of local Engineers together, and form a company which the government will fund.”
When asked why he did not implement such a policy whilst he was serving as the former Minister of Power from July 2003 to March 2006, he replied saying “we started purchasing equipment and we were going to partner with COREN (Association of Nigerian Engineers) before I left office unceremoniously.
“Since 1972, we have being urging for indigenous Engineers to be encouraged” he stated.
Road Fund and Infrastructure bank
The former Minister also called for the establishment of a Road Fund, which he claimed can be sourced strategically by peculiar states in need of huge infrastructural development such as Lagos. Such funds must be allowed by law not to go the Consolidated Revenue Fund which will be shared.
Mr Ogunlewe claimed that the largest amount of fuel is consumed in the nation’s commercial capital which also holds over 40 per cent of the nation’s vehicular population.
“Lagos should be allowed to charge something on every litre of fuel bought to help maintain its road.”
He also made the call for the establishment of Infrastructural Bank, which he claims, can tap into the massive funds that has being built in the Pension Funds-“which is sitting somewhere and doing nothing” and adequately invest it in our much needed infrastructure.
