Nigerian Tribune
Vice President Kashim Shettima has stated that Nigeria is in need of improved public-private infrastructure partnerships for economic growth and the overall development of the country.
Shettima also mentioned that President Bola Tinubu has vast experience in both brokering public-private partnerships and understanding how to address the deficit in the country’s infrastructure.
The Vice President made these remarks on Thursday during the public presentation of two books authored by Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN) in Abuja.
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“You only need to gaze into the realities of Lagos State before and after his progressive leadership as Executive Governor to realize his spectacular legacy, a skill set he has brought into play again to reposition Nigeria as a competitive global player,” the former Borno governor said.
According to the Vice President, the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is built on the realization of improved infrastructure as a critical catalyst for the nation’s economic growth.
“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 ongoing review of the ICRC (Establishment ETC) Act, 2005, is telling.
“Infrastructure deficit depends on our understanding of the complex interests of all parties involved in deals that do not disadvantage the nation. It’s crucial to ensure that we are not blinded by any legal requirements.
“It’s worth noting that one astute lawyer can bankrupt a country, but it also takes just one astute lawyer to save a nation. We have witnessed this, even in the recent case of Nigeria versus P&ID, which could have resulted in an unbelievable $11 billion arbitral award against us,” he said.
Speaking on the books, Shettima said, “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.”
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, while speaking, asked senior legal practitioners to emulate Ali and document their experiences in books to guide upcoming and future practitioners.
“Through this publication, Mr. Yusuf Ali has further deployed his rich legal skills and knowledge beyond public interest advocacy. He has moved to academic research, legal research, and jurisprudence and scholarship ultimately to deploy his deep knowledge of the law to attain justice, fairness, and economic development for the benefit of humanity,” the Attorney General said.
