Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said that he does not feel it is the responsibility of government to fund infrastructure for the citizens.
Saraki made this known during the News Agency of Nigeria forum in Abuja on Tuesday.
Responding to a poser on the role of the Bank of infrastructure in the country, the Senate President said, “We are not engaging with them particularly. I think that they were part of those involved in the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. But, I don’t think government should really put funds into that.
“I have this strong view and I feel very strongly about it, that nowhere in the world has government funded infrastructure.
“Government cannot, and even if government can fund infrastructure projects, the social sector will suffer – health will suffer and education will suffer.’’
Saraki said the National Assembly was enacting legislation to ensure that the private sector becomes more active in infrastructural development in the country.
“What should happen is that we should try and get private sector to take over some of these infrastructure so that the money can go into education and health.
“By doing that, banks like Bank of Infrastructure will come in.”
In response to another poser on the collection of pensions from former Governors who are now in the Senate, an issue brought to the fore by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Saraki said he had stopped collecting his pension from Kwara state.
“No, I’m not collecting pension; the moment I saw that allegation, I wrote to my state to stop my pension.
“So, I speak for myself on that part; I’m not doing that, I am not receiving pension from my state,’’ he said.