Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Raji Fashola, has revealed that more than 50,000 Nigerians are engaged in 77 works and 50 housing construction sites across Nigeria while only 277 foreigners are working in the sites.
According to him, the figures are contained in the ‘Inception Report’ the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing recently commissioned to ‘ascertain the number of foreigners employed on those sites and whether they have work permits for the work they are undertaking.’
Fashola made the revelation on Friday while delivering a speech titled “Solid Infrastructural Backbone – A Catalyst for National and Sustainable Development,” at Sheraton Hotels, Lagos, during the 2018 Nigerian Infrastructure Development Awards (NIDA) Night and the unveiling of Nigerian Infrastructure Development Magazine.
Fashola, who won the NIDA 2018 ‘Icon of National Infrastructure Development’ Award, was represented at the event by the Director of Highways South West, Funsho Adebiyi.
He said: “The Ministry has now commissioned a more detailed audit of all sites and we await the results and findings.
“While Government welcomes foreigners and investors, we expect that like in all law abiding countries, foreigners can only work after obtaining work permit.”
The Minister explained that while Nigeria took loans from overseas to execute some projects, it did not sign away the rights of Nigerians to benefits from such projects.
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The Chairman of the occasion, Sen. Olabiyi Durojaiye while commending the organisers of the Awards, noted that infrastructure development of Nigeria was very critical and an issue that should be of concern to all insisting that no nation can develop above the level of infrastructural resources available to her.
He also called for vibrant private and public sector players to partner in driving infrastructural revolution in order to fast track development on the country.
In his welcome remarks, the Chairman, Nigerian Infrastructural Awards (NIDA) and Managing Director of Prospers Strategy Limited, Lanre Alabi, said the issue of Infrastructure is very vital to national development as the state of infrastructure is a key determinant to gauge the health of nation.
He explained that ‘’NIDA was established to honor corporate organisations, government agencies and individuals who have made huge and outstanding impact in the Nigerian infrastructural development sector over the years.
