The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, . Babajide Fashola, has disclosed that over 50,000 Nigerians are now engaged in 77 works and 50 housing construction sites across the country while only 277 foreigners are working in the sites.
Fashola disclosed this in a speech titled “Solid Infrastructural Backbone – A Catalyst for National and Sustainable Development” he delivered at Sheraton Hotels, Lagos during the 2018 Nigerian Infrastructure Development Awards (NIDA) Night and the unveiling of Nigerian Infrastructure Development Magazine.
Fashola said that the figures are contained in the ‘Inception Report’ the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing recently commissioned to ‘ascertain the number of foreigners employed on those sites and whether they have work permits for the work they are undertaking’.
Fashola, was represented at the occasion by Engr Funsho Adebiyi Director of Highways South West
“The Ministry has now commissioned a more detailed audit of all sites and we await the results and findings’, he stated.
The Minister noted that ‘while Government welcomes foreigners and investors, we expect that like in all law abiding countries, foreigners can only work after obtaining work permit’
He added that while Nigeria took loans from overseas to execute some projects, ‘we did not sign away the rights of Nigerians to benefits from such projects’.
The Chairman of the occasion of the occasion, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye who commended the organizers of NIDA for the lofty programme.
He said in his speech that infrastructure development of Nigeria is very critical and an issue that should be of concern to all stating that ‘no nation develops above the level of infrastructural resources available to her.
He said there is need for a vibrant private and public sector players to partner in driving infrastructural revolution in order to fast track development on the country.
‘We need more public budget investments, foreign capital and creative funding avenues to achieve this goal speedily as we cannot afford to be observers. As an emerging economy with growing population, we have to take the need to improve on our various infrastructure very seriously’ he added
