Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has commended President Bola Tinubu for admonishing state governors to desist from embarking on white elephant projects that do not have direct impacts on the lives of citizens.
The former governor of Anambra State however also called on the president to heed his own advice to the governors, by ensuring the rule also applies to federal government projects around the country.
Obi in a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday titled: Rehabilitate Existing Infrastructure Before Embarking on New Projects, said he had “consistently advised governments at all levels to prioritise rehabilitating existing infrastructure before embarking on new projects that may also end up abandoned or left unfinished*.
He noted that for expressing this position, he had often been criticised and called all sorts of names. “Yet, it remains the most responsible approach to governance”.
He also noted, that “It is therefore noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu has now cautioned state governors against committing scarce public resources to constructing unnecessary flyovers in areas with little traffic while neglecting more pressing developmental needs.
“The President is, in essence, saying what I have always maintained: government must prioritise projects that directly address the immediate needs of the people. I hope those ministers, officials, and supporters who have consistently attacked this position will now direct the same criticism at him.
“However, this admonition must also apply to the Federal Government. There are several unrealistic and white-elephant projects being pursued by the current administration, even as much of our critical infrastructure remains in a state of disrepair. Given our present fiscal realities, priority should be given to rehabilitating and completing existing infrastructure rather than embarking on expensive new projects with limited immediate impact.
“Across Nigeria, many of our major highways linking commercial centres and food-producing communities have deteriorated into death traps. Neglecting these critical roads while pursuing prestige projects is neither economically prudent nor people-centred”.
According to him, “Leadership is about making the right choices: fixing what is broken, completing what has already been started, and investing limited public resources where they will have the greatest impact on the greatest number of people”.
(Ripples)