The alarming proliferation in the number of abandoned projects in Nigeria today has become a great source of concern to many well-meaning Nigerians who always see the need for such projects to be completed by the various tiers of government that initiated them. Abandoned projects have remained a conduit pipe through which Nigerian resources are being haemorrhaged without benefiting the people.
It is quite unfortunate and indeed absurd to see myriad of life transforming projects abandoned here and there, essentially due to pervasive lack of continuation in policies and corruption. The hapless practice in Nigeria is that once new people are in office, laudable policies and projects of the former administration are jettisoned. This persistent unwillingness on the part of the incoming administration to ensure project continuity is the main cause of corruption, impunity and nepotism. New policy makers or leaders often re-award such contracts to cronies and family members at inflated prices, and the worst part of it is that most of the contractors handling these projects collect mobilisation fee and abandon the projects. Too bad! It is quite sad that our leaders are so conscious of material and personal aggrandisement to the detriment of the teeming masses. If the focus of the government is on genuine development and service to the people, why should government officials insist on approval for new projects when the uncompleted ones don’t enjoy adequate funding and sound project management?
Worthy projects that would have greatly benefited the people have been dumped. For instance, the abandonment of the Ajakuata Steel Company (ASCO) by the federal government after spending about seven billion dollars on the project. It is regrettable that past regimes have denigrated the numerous huge benefits drivable from having a sound and robust steel sector. By extension, Ajakuata Steel Project, if completed has the capacity to engage over two million people directly or indirectly. What a great disservice to Nigeria! Another example, is the second Niger Bridge, this bridge, if completed, will tremendously improve the commercial activities in the South East and South West. Thus, such abandoned projects essentially lead to huge financial loss, property value decline and development control problems.
The Buhari administration should endeavour to comply strictly with the provisions of the public procurement Act. The government of the day must curb the temptations or pressures to embark on new projects when so many remain unfinished. Sensitive and applaudable projects must be completed regardless of whichever administration or regime conceived the projects.
This is an urgent and salient call to the present administration to break this jinx of abandoning projects, and understand that building on the success of the previous administration is one of the attributes of genuine service to the people. Hence, abandoning these unique projects will amount to playing needless politics with the development of Nigeria.