An Economist in Rivers State, Dr Sylvanus Amadi, has criticized the statement made by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, that federal government has invested 1. 7 trillion Naira for two budget years in the area of infrastructure development.
Dr Amadi who is the Head of Economics department at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, said the south-south and south-east are yet to benefit from the said infrastructure development.
He noted that the federal government would not have invested so much on infrastructure when most areas in the south-south and south-east lack basic facilities, stressing that the distribution of the infrastructure development is uneven.
He further stressed that those places the federal government said it has developed should be published for proper record and evaluation.
“Any country that has infrastructure deficit will never develop. The claims may be there but they should be specific and show us proof, let them mention where they have developed so far and which infrastructures have been developed.
“The federal government have not developed good road networks to ensure a free flow of traffic, goods and services all around the country nor have they provided regular power supply, so where are the infrastructural developments?”.
“The whole of south-south have not benefited from the quantum development because we have not had anything, the whole of Niger Delta to the East, there are no good roads, the east-west road has become a nightmare.
“You can’t freely drive your vehicle from Port Harcourt to Aba and somebody is telling us there is infrastructural development?‘’
Dr Amadi reiterated that the solution to economic growth and job creation in the country is not to pay five thousand Naira to individuals but to build industries.
“It is not enough to give out five thousand Naira monthly to individuals, given the present level of unemployment and inflation in Nigeria, how much can five thousand Naira buy a month?
“That amount may be okay for one person living in other state but not in Port Harcourt where the money is not enough for monthly rent.
“Economically speaking, the federal government should have invested such amount into the development of industries, let these industries now employ people and pay them living wages rather than the five thousand naira handouts”
