Osinbajo, Ajimobi task estate surveyors on infrastructure development
VICE President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said the federal government would continue to invest in infrastructure to boost the economy and create jobs for teeming populations of Nigeria.
He said this while declaring open the 48th annual conference of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan (UI).
The Vice President who pledged the commitment of the government to pact with members of the NIESV in developing a lasting infrastructure for Nigerians said the move would help the government in its Economic Recovery Agenda.
Speaking on the theme, “Real Estate And Infrastructure As Drivers Of National Economic Development” Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of State on Power, Works and Housing, Sulaimon Hassan said that the present administration, which believes in massive infrastructure development, was open and willing to partner with Estate Surveyors and Valuers towards getting a roadmap for diversifying the economy.
Submitting that the nation was yet to explore opportunities associated with land usage, the Vice President told the real estate professionals, “I urge you to come up with useful recommendations on how to use infrastructure development to drive the nation’s economy.”
He said the government was ready to partner with them to achieve this goal.
Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, said for Nigeria to achieve its vision of being one of the top 20 economies in terms of GDP size by 2020, it was imperative that attention must be given to Infrastructure development.
Ajimobi, who was represented by the Secretary to State Government Hon. Olalekan Alli, said government anywhere in the world should be conscious of the fact that infrastructure development was their core responsibility and should spend expediently towards it.
He tasked the estate surveyors and valuers to take the lead in how government could use infrastructure development to boost the economy,assuringthemthat his administration’s readiness to pact with them towards actualizing his gov- ernment’s drive to develop the state’s infrastructure. In his welcome address, the national president of the institution, Bolarinde Patunola-ajayi described any effort by government to develop infrastructure as a “wise investment” noted that African is becoming a destination point for investors and Nigeria should not lack behind.