FasholaThe minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said that the 2019 presidential election is a choice between going backward and moving forward to the next level,
Fashiola, who spoke today, Tuesday at the inauguration of 5,000 foot soldiers in Lagos for the campaign of Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at The Haven in Ikeja GRA, said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has done more in three years than 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.
He said the change the APC promised in 2014 cannot be actualized in four years, saying: “President Buhari is taking Nigeria to the next level. We are going to the Next Level. Mr President has inaugurated a structural infrastructure fund for road construction. N15 billion has been released for the continued construction of Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
“There is need for the progress to continue. Dubai was built with oil-money, Nigeria can be built with it too. The past administration squandered oil revenue.
“Federal Government is constructing at least one road in every state in Nigeria. We are also constructing houses in 34 states in Nigeria.
“We have collected 690 containers for the construction of 90 transmission stations and through our policy of mini grids, our markets now have uninterrupted power supply.
“In the last 3 years we have constructed 40 kilometres of roads per year. In 2015, the total number of roads completed nationwide was 80 kilometres. In 2016 after we took over, we completed, 274 kilometres of road, 478 kilometres in 2017 and 474 kilometers in 2018.
“Electric generation has moved from 4000 Megawatts that we met to 7000MW. That’s an increase of 3000MW, an average of 1000MW a year. We have started an Independent Power Project (IPP) in nine universities in Nigeria. We have accelerated the distribution of meters by outsourcing it to distributors. 108 companies have applied for the supply of meters nationwide. Just be patient, we will resolve pre-paid meter issue.”
This was even as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Gbenga Ashafa said that the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge will be a smooth ride by the first quarter of next year.
He said that the Ibadan-Abuja contract has been signed while Kaduna-Kano is underway.
“This government is giving Nigerians hope. We do not have choice other than to support the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.”
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs) Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said that two-third of the Nigerian states are growing rice even as she decried continued reliance on imported rice, saying they are unhealthy for consumption.
According to her, farmers are now smiling to the bank due to the assistance received from the Federal Government.
A vote for Buhari, she said, will take Nigeria to the next level.
Running mate to Lagos APC governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, gave reasons why Nigerian should vote for Buhari.
“During Goodluck Jonathan era in 2014, N18 billion was voted for Ministry of Works, whereas Fashola then as Lagos State governor voted N78 billion for the state Works ministry. In 2016, under President Muhammadu Buhari, N222 billion was voted for Ministry of Works. Can you see the difference? What were (PDP) they doing with our money? We can’t return these people (the PDP) to power. President Buhari does not have interest in accumulating assets, rather to develop the country.”
