Buhari: Despite Huge Revenue Between 1999 and 2014, Infrastructure Devt was Ignored

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja lamented that despite the huge resources at the disposal of Nigeria between 1999 and 2014, infrastructure became rotten within the same period.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement, said Buhari made the remarks while receiving the outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, in a farewell audience at the State House.

He quoted the president as saying, “Our focus now is on infrastructure; roads, rail, power, and others. How I wish we had fixed all those when we had money.

“What we earned between 1999 and 2014 is on record, but nothing was done to infrastructure. Now, we are doing a lot more, with a lot less resources. And we shall continue to do our best.

Adesina also said Buhari commended the outgoing High Commissioner for his warm and pleasant disposition, which he said had seen him traversing almost the entire country.

“I always see you all over the place,” the president was further quoted to have said.

According to the statement, Arkwright, who spent over three years in Nigeria, told Buhari that he visited 30 of the 36 states of the federation, and found that the people were enterprising and engaging.

It also said Arkwright added that the British government would be glad to offer a helping hand to Nigeria as may be required in any part of the country.

“He thanked President Buhari for his support, adding that the relations between Britain and Nigeria have improved tremendously in the past three years,” the statement added.