The Senate on Wednesday said it would amend laws to make Public/Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives attractive to boost investments in roads and other infrastructure to bridge infrastructure deficit.
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The Senate also called on private investors to key into the tax credit scheme to ensure quality road delivery to improve the economy.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Adamu Aliero, who led the committee members on inspection tour of federal roads in Lagos State, said that the Federal Government was concerned about attracting investments.
Aliero said that PPP was an alternative means to funding road infrastructure which business owners should adopt for the good of the nation.
“The National Assembly is already seriously thinking of intervention legislatively by amending our laws to make investments and PPP more attractive.
“Already PPP is on the top agenda of the ninth Senate and indeed the entire National Assembly.
“We will encourage the private sector to go into construction of infrastructure, not only roads but also railways and power,” he said.
He commended the tax credit scheme adopted by the Dangote Group for the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonsoki Expressway project, and advised other businessmen to key into it.
On the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonsoki Expressway reconstruction and rehabilitation, he commended the quality of work and the technology being used to make it durable.
He expressed satisfaction at the adequate mobilisation of equipment and personnel on various sections to deliver the project on schedule.
“This is the way to go because this is a road linking two major sea ports in the country, and this is where haulage of heavy goods are being ferried to different parts of the country apart from Lagos State.
“Most of the imports from the north pass here before they eventually go through the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“Some will go to South East through Benin; some even to South South, to different parts of the North Central and North East.
“It is a major road which should be constructed very well, and we are very pleased with what we have seen.
“The progress of work is good, and we have no doubt that if the contractor maintains the pace, the project will be completed and delivered in time.
During a presentation on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Mr Thomas Chrystil, representing Julius Berger Plc., said that the firm was adopting safety measures to prevent accidents on the road and on site.
“We set our Health, safety and Environment (HSE) consideration as a priority to ensure safety of our people on site and around the construction area.
“Accidents on site was minimised due to the HSE culture being practised,” he said.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, said that the major challenge to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway rehabilitation and reconstruction project was huge vehiclar traffic.
Kuti said that resources of traffic regulatory agencies and law enforcement agencies were being deployed to ensure that the project would not be stalled.
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