FM stakeholders canvass more PPP initiatives for infrastructure development
Facilities management stakeholders at a roundtable held in Lagos recently canvassed more public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives for the provision of housing and critical infrastructure that will drive economic growth and development.
The stakeholders also said there was need for closer government and private sector collaboration in the management, maintenance and provision of infrastructure and real estate assets, especially in the face of a rebased economy that is getting ready to receive more investment inflow.
AMFacilities is Nigeria’s leading facilities management company whichhas, in the past three years, commemorated the World Facility Management Day in Nigeria. The commemoration highlights an industry-focused FM and asset management, bringing together industry stakeholders from within and outside Nigeria to chart a course for FM in Africa.
In his opening remarks, Femi Akintunde, AMFacilities Managing Director, highlighted the need for governments at all levels to continue to embrace the PPP initiatives, saying that this has become imperative in view of the recent rebasing of Nigeria’s economy, the privatization of critical sectors and the floating of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Corporation (NMRC).
“Given the recent rebasing of the Nigerian economy, making it the largest in Africa, it is imperative that we have in place a robust structure and strategy to guarantee adequate provision and efficient management of public infrastructure required to support such a large economy,” he said.
Oluranti Adebule, the keynote speaker, also hinted on the need for public-private sector collaboration, stressing that it would be futile to leave the provision and maintenance of critical infrastructure to the government alone.
Adebule, who spoke on the topic ‘Towards Optimal Performance of Infrastructure and Real Estate Assets in Nigeria’, is the Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG) and was represented at the event by Ademola Amure, the Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on NEPAD.
“Our experience as a nation has shown that a mutually beneficial handshake between government and the private sector is important to achieve the desired momentum in economic growth, stimulated by adequate and functional critical infrastructure and housing”, she said.
Chuka Uroko