By Egena Sunday Ode
Vice President Kashim Shettima has emphasized the importance of improved public-private infrastructure partnerships as critical catalysts for Nigeria’s economic growth.
Shettima who stated this in Abuja Thursday during the public presentation of two books authored by one of Nigeria’s legal luminaries, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), recalled Tinubu’s legacies as governor of Lagos State, a feat he said the President is set to replicate at the national level in the bid to reposition the country.
Delivering his speech titled, “Mallam Yusuf Ali: Enduring Reflection in Law, History, and Public Policy,” the Vice President stated: “There is, of course, no politician in the country today who can match President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s experience in both brokering public-private partnership and understanding what must be done to bridge our infrastructure gaps.
“You only need to gaze into the realities of Lagos State before and after his progressive leadership as Executive Governor to realise his spectacular legacy, a skill-set he’s again brought into play to reposition Nigeria as a competitive global player.”
Noting that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda “is built on the realisation of improved infrastructure as a critical catalyst for “the nation’s economic growth,” Sen. Shettima pointed out that the projections of the administration’s sound economic team on revolutionising investment in infrastructure were in tandem with those of its development partners.
“I am here to acknowledge that such a grand vision is the reason we are exploring innovative funding mechanisms like Public Private Partnerships, with avenues like the Infrastructure Concessions Regulatory Commission (ICRC) as testimony to such ambition. The on-going review of the ICRC (Establishment ETC) Act, 2005, is telling,” the VP stated.
The vice President described the two books, “The Supreme Court and the Jurisprudence of the Right to Fair Hearing,” and “Public Private Partnerships: An Essential Guide for Stakeholders,” unveiled today as an eagle-eyed contribution to the “nation’s pursuit of order and development.”
“These books aren’t well-timed solely due to their thematic interests. They are not being celebrated solely for their interpretation of paramount aspects of our nation’s journey, nor for a yearning for such interventions in our collective responsibility to serve the nation. These two books stand out due to the intellectual and professional pedigree of the author,” he added.
Referring to the author of the two books, Mallam Ali (SAN), as a friend and brother, VP Shettima also described the learned silk as a “reservoir of knowledge acquired over decades of sincere engagement with the legal intricacies of our dear nation.
“His decision to document these treasures of wisdom reflects a legacy that shall echo through the corridors of scholarship beyond the practice and learning of law,” he noted.
The VP further observed that the author was able to capture readers’ attention by recognising the need for a clearer perspective on collaborations between the public and private sectors.
