Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has blamed
former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, for being partly responsible for the weak
infrastructural base in Nigeria.
Fashola, speaking on Channels Television, claimed Obasanjo
should have invested in capital projects across the country, instead of paying
off external debts.
According to the Minister, if he had the $12 billion like
the Olusegun Obasanjo government in 2005, he would have built rails and more
roads.
In 2005/2006, the Paris Club wrote off $18 billion of the
$30 billion Nigeria owed the cartel after months of negotiations.
Fashola said that rather than deploy the funds prudently,
the Obasanjo government decided to pay the country’s creditors to the detriment
of the country.
According to him, that is why Nigeria has gone to borrowing.
“At one time in this country, in 2005, we had $12 billion.
At that time, these roads were bad. At that time there was no rail. But what
did we do as a matter of state policy, it was just to pay creditors to our own
detriment.
“I can only imagine if I had the opportunity then with $12
billion in my hand, we would have built rails and roads. What this government
is dealing with, which I am responsible for, is the infrastructure that will be
enduring,” Fashola said.
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