It is no longer news that the Federal Executive Council, the highest executive decision making organ of the Federal Government of Nigeria has now been inaugurated.

That happened on Wednesday the 11th November, 2015 which is 28 days ago.

It is also no longer news that 3 (Three) Ministries or areas of critical public service of Power, Works and Housing have been merged into 1 (One) under the superintending authority of myself as substantive Minister and Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Honourable Minister of State) with 2 (Two) new Permanent Secretaries, Engr. Abubabar Magaji, redeployed from the Ministry of Interior to Works and Housing; and Mr. Louis Edozien from the private sector to assist us.

Since our inauguration we have spent the last few days, getting to know ourselves and our officers, assessing the status of works done in all Ministries, meeting with some of our parastatals and corporations; (which is still on-ongoing) and generally trying to understand where things stand, where the problems are, what can be solved, what cannot be solved, what must continue and what must be altered.

At this point I must express our gratitude to all the Directors, Assistant Directors and their entire staff, not only for the warm reception thus far, but also for their time and the information they have shared with us thus far.

While our work of assessment, and detailed planning and development of workable solutions is an ongoing one that will take some time, we have considered it expedient to make this briefing for the purpose of setting the agenda,owned clarifying emerging issues.

The Agenda
We are not unmindful of the huge expectations of the Nigerian public who voted for the All Progressive Congress message of CHANGE and elected President Muhammed Buhari to office.

But I must say that all of us; government functionaries and citizens whom we serve owe no less an obligation to be fully mindful of the commitments of Mr. President which earned him the mandate of Nigerians.

Mr. President promised to address the challenges of security, corruption and dwindling economic fortunes of Nigeria.

This is the heart of the social contract, because this is what Nigerians voted for.

To hold the government to a higher commitment at this point is to seek to vary the social contract.

My attention has been drawn to some news reports where it is said “that an agenda is being set for us” as to what we must do.

At this point, we can have no agenda other than the ones Nigerians voted for, namely security, corruption and the economy.

We admit that our 3 (three) Ministries have an enormous role to play in meeting this agenda.

We commit all our skills, energies, and collective integrity unreservedly to playing our part, but how much success we deliver is dependent also on the citizens commitment to their own part.

If our understanding of our mutual commitment under the social contract is united, our purpose will be united and no task will be too big within that Agenda, that will defeat our commonality and unity of purpose.

Clearly good roads will help re-flate and grow our economy, reduce travel time, cost of transportation of goods and services, and restore jobs that have been lost to transport dependent services. They will improve safety of lives and property and our security index.

Predictable, stable, and ultimately uninterrupted power supply will be a critical and defining component of our economic renaissance, job creation, GDP growth and reduction of income inequalities.

Construction of houses will complement the economic growth drive by direct and indirect jobs in the housing value chain from construction companies, to artisans, labourers, vendors and many more.

WHERE WE ARE TODAY (ROADS, POWER, HOUSING)

We are at a point where the 2015 Budget made only a provision of about 16% amounting to approximately N557 Billion for capital spending out of a total budget of over N5Triilion

The first thing that must change is the Capital to Recurrent ratio of the budget, and our colleagues in the Ministries of Finance and Budget and Planning are working on this and they will address you at their own time on the changes they have made and what citizens must do to enable them achieve that plan.

We are at a period when oil prices have dropped from where they were a year ago. We spent less on capital when we earned more from Oil, today we must spend more on capital even as we earn less.

As I have had cause to say before, the budget is the article of faith of every serious nation and government and our resolve to do more capital spending with less resources must be indicative of our seriousness to reflate this economy.



http://believeafrica.net/buharis-agenda-for-electricity-roads-and-housing-tunde-fashola-p743-107.htm

BRF will sure deliver with the way he is going. Btw, where did he say Jönathan built more roads? These wailers n their rumour mill ehn, only God can fully judge them.

Standing5:
BRF will sure deliver with the way he is going. Btw, where did he say Jönathan built more roads? These wailers n their rumour mill ehn, only God can fully judge them.

What is he bringing to the table? in the power sector?

Man way sabi