NIFEngM: Expert  urges govts to prioritize  infrastructure maintenance

Expert under the aegis of the Nigerian Institution of facilities engineering Management (NIFEngM) has called on the Federal and state government to prioritize maintenance budgets in infrastructure policy for the sustainability of facilities.

They also emphasized that leaders must have the “political will” to introduce an integrated approach to infrastructure by involving the end users before planning and designing towards ensuring effective implementation of the new national infrastructure maintenance policy.

MD of Atlas proligencies Ltd, Babajide Soyode,led the call during a public lecture entitled: “Implementation of the national infrastructure maintenance policy:The dynamics,prospects and challenges”,as well as the conferment of fellowship on 32 new inductees organized by the NIFEngM in Lagos at the weekend. He lamented that all of Nigeria’s infrastructures are not being maintained, adding that the limited infrastructures across the country are shutting down due to lack of maintenance.

He said the nation must maintain what it has before building new ones,review,update and upgrade all extant regulations relevant to specific national infrastructure including mandates for operation maintenance,inspection and testing.

The National chairman in this speech Oladipupo Mabogaje, said the policy is not just a mere document,but embodies commitment to ensuring the longevity, safety and efficiency of the national infrastructural network system.He noted that from technological advancement  to budgetary constraints and environmental challenges to the evolving needs of society, there are myriad factors shaping the landscape of infrastructure maintenance.

He said opportunities abound for innovation, collaboration and strategic planning that can revolutionize how the nation approaches infrastructure maintenance to pave way for a more resilient, sustainable and prosperous future.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor, Office of Works, Adekunle Olayinka, represented by Mr. Thomas Adeoye, observed that one of the most important ways to close the national gap is to deliberately improve existing assets to improve on maintenance and management in a way that would preserve the quality of individual infrastructure assets.

Also, the President of NSE, Margaret Oguntala, represented by the former Chairman of Ikeja branch of the Society Tosin Ogunmola, explained that infrastructure maintenance is crucial to the development of Nigerian society.

She, therefore, advised that leaders must not only be concerned about infrastructure deficit but plan for sustainability of the assets.

For a better society