The Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) has lauded Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun for committing the required percentage of the state’s resources on infrastructure development in the state.
According to the civil engineers, the Aregbesola’s administration met and exceeded the minimum of six percent of its GDP recommended for infrastructural development.
The leadership of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers gave the commendation in Osogbo, the capital of the State of Osun at a public lecture.
Speaking on the theme of the conference: “Infrastructure Development and Index for National Development”, the former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Professor Olugbenga Aribisala, lauded Aregbesola’s commitment to human and capital developments in the state.
Aribisala said the present administration in Osun has raised the bar of governance in all socio-economic
sectors, particularly on infrastructure development.
He acknowledged the Aregbesola’s government for always making adequate budgetary provisions for the maintenance of infrastructure sustainability since inception.
According to him, the Osun state government has shown a very great example of government funding on projects as the state in the last seven years has been committing over 6% of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on infrastructure development.
”I want to state here unequivocally that Osun state has exceeded the minimum of 6 per cent of its GDP recommended for infrastructure developments.
“Since the diversification of the economy remains impossible without adequate infrastructure, there is need for government at all levels to make the required budgetary provisions for the maintenance of
infrastructure development as being done in Osun.
“Obviously, the Osun state government has shown a very great example on how infrastructure should be properly and adequately funded by governments as the state has exceeded the minimum of six per cent of its GDP recommended for infrastructural development.
“As an institution involved in civil engineering policies and recommendations, we can rightly confirm that the seven years of the present administration in Osun has been full of numerous big civil engineering infrastructure projects across the state.
“We have been moving around Nigeria and have been to several states in the country, we have never seen a state like Osun with huge proliferation of infrastructure development in spite of her meager resources.
“The types of projects which we have seen in Osun are the types that students of civil engineering need to come and understudy because they are breath taking.
”I want to use this medium to appeal to both the federal and state governments to make budgetary provisions for the infrastructural sustainability”, Prof. Aribisala noted.
Earlier in his remarks, the National President, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, Engineer Andem Ekpo-Bassey, commended the level of infrastructure in the state, saying Osun has distinguished itself among its peers in developing infrastructure in all sectors of the economy.
“Without mincing words, I can tell you that you are very lucky in Osun to have a governor like Aregbesola who has decided to embark on the third type of project, which is targeted at human development.
“I can confidently tell you that Osun is on the right path to economic development, it may not have been happening today, but with what I have seen on ground, Aregbesola has secured the future for this state.
“Infrastructural development is the way to go if any economy wants to get out of the woods and be self-sustaining” Ekpo-Bassey said.
In his remarks, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola commended the leadership of NICE for organising the Conference in the state.
Aregbesola who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Transport, Engineer Nurudeen Adeagbo, encouraged engineers on the need for them to champion professional ethics and standards as they play a crucial role in national growth and development.
