Lagos – Dr Frederick Fasehun, Founder of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress , on Tuesday advised the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, to embark on citizen-friendly projects.
Fasehun, who made the plea in a statement in Lagos, congratulated Fashola for the three portfolios thrust under his care by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Fashola and all other ministers in the Federal Executive Council must steer the Buhari regime to make Nigerian Talakawas, Mekunus, Lagbajas and commoners the centre piece of all government policies,” he said.
Fasehun described Fashola’ – s position as a ‘Super-Minister,’ similar to a ‘Prime Minister.’
He urged the former governor to be humble over his tree-fold responsibility and ensure that the Federal Government made the welfare of the commoners top priority.
According to Fasehun, Fashola must shun projects like those that became controversial during his tenure as governor.
He said that such unpopular policies include installing toll gates on the highways and building high-brow government houses that were priced beyond the reach of the poor.
“Fashola came off with the reputation of an achiever because he embarked on massive re-engineering of physical infrastructure in the state, especially in road construction.
“But now, Fashola’s glory will be further enhanced if he should embark on mass provision of low-cost housing for the poor and other programmes that will improve the living standards of the average Nigerian,” he stated.
He, however, said that Nigerians had rejected the idea of installing toll gates on federal highways because the country had resources needed to build and maintain the existing network of federal roads.
“If any road must need tolling, it must be purely brand-new constructions embarked upon in public-private partnership initiatives,” he said.
Fasehun said that Fashola’s appointment into Power, Housing and Works ministry showed the great faith the President had in him and he must not fail.
He expressed optimism that the former governor would meet the expectations of Nigerians generally, not just people of Lagos alone.
Fasehun said that electricity supply remained problematic, despite its privatisation, urged Fashola to cooperate with the private generating and distribution companies (GENCOs and DISCOs) to provide adequate and affordable power to Nigerians.
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He, however, advised the minister to resist temptations to increase electricity tariff, stressing that such must be avoided until power supply improved.
Fasehun said that Nigerians wanted good roads, affordable housing and reasonably-priced electricity and urged the Federal Government to tackle the problem of multiple taxation. (NAN)