TheCable

Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, says President Muhammadu Buhari would continue to award contracts until his administration officially elapses.

Fashola spoke in Ondo on Thursday, while flagging off the dualisation of the dilapidated 49 kilometers Akure/Ado-Ekiti highway.

On Wednesday, the federal government had given reasons for the continued awards of contracts with less than seven days to handover.

The government had insisted on “performing its duties until May 28 as constitutionally required”.

The federal government’s comments provoked angst in some quarters and elicited copious criticism from the public.

Fashola, expressing his view on the award of contracts and external borrowing by the administration, said the federal government would continue to award contracts until the “last hour”.

“Buhari can award contracts till the last minute. So, we will work till the last minute. Those criticising us are ignoramus,” Fashola said.

“Some people are saying that why are we still awarding contracts with few days to go, but they have forgotten that the tenure of this present administration ends at midnight of May 28, 2023, at 11.59 pm and when it is 12 am, Bola Tinubu takes over the government and that is why we are still working.”

On borrowing, Fashola said the government invests borrowed funds in infrastructure for national development. 

“Some people are still saying why are they borrowing a few days to their expiration, it’s because we don’t have enough money and people want infrastructure. If you don’t want borrowing, that means the government will increase your taxes because that is another way to pay the deficits and that is how it is done in any part of the world,” he said.

“So, this road is going to cost over N90 billion. We want the road and we are saying that Buhari’s administration is borrowing money, who is now going to give us money to do it? Some states are borrowing money outside the country, still, they will pay it back.

“So, this road is not funded by debt, it is funded by a policy of Buhari’s called ‘tax credit policy’, where the private sectors invest their tax in advance and it is paid back later. So, what it means is that the federal government has agreed to sort for other revenue to have a road. But that policy is working.

“I’m also here to tell you that we will be leaving behind sustainable development here — whether we are still in the office or not. This road will be built because NNPC through the tax credit has committed to fund it.”

In his remarks, Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo represented by the state commissioner for lands and infrastructure, lauded the minister for the flag off of the project and appealed to the people of the two states to cooperate with the contractor.