President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said that but for the intervention of his administration through rail and road projects, people would have been trekking from Lagos to Ibadan in Oyo State.
The President said prioritising infrastructure projects ameliorated hardship in some parts of the country, particularly the quick intervention on the Lagos-Ibadan route with completion of road and rail lines, which improved the traffic significantly.
He said the quick intervention on the Lagos-Ibadan route with completion of road and rail lines has improved traffic significantly in the South-West.
Buhari, who spoke on at the Presidential Villa while addressing a delegation from Kaduna State, told the delegation led by the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, and Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Hadiza Sabuwa Balaraba, that his administration places priority on infrastructure development.
“The people from South-West can tell better because between Lagos and Ibadan by now, if we hadn’t done what we did, people would have been trekking because the road was not there, the rail was not there and there was so much insecurity.”
“But we thank the international community. We thank China and Chinese investors, who came along to support the Lagos-Ibadan transport projects. My objective was very clear, despite the dwindling resources, I wanted to deal with infrastructure across the country.
“We should look at advancement in terms of infrastructure. No country can advance without infrastructure. There used to be railways, especially people from Southern Kaduna will remember this.
“Which country can really advance without road, rail and power, that’s why I wanted to sort out infrastructure, knowing that Nigerians are competitive by nature, and they will face their businesses when there’s road, rail and power,” he added.
Buhari assured that the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure will be sustained, which include the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano express road, being handled by Julius Berger to ensure good, long-term quality.
The President commended Governor Nasir El-Rufai for the transformation of the State, with growing infrastructure and socio-economic projects, while noting the growing liberality, which welcomes all Nigerians.
“Please extend my gratitude to the Governor for doing so well. I have been living in Kaduna for many years before I came here, but now I will need a modern compass to go around because of the transformation,” he added.