Governor Ademola Adeleke says infrastructural development is not just a panacea to the nation’s security challenges but also a potent key to addressing poverty and other under-development questions.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the governor’s spokesman Olawale Rasheed.

According to the statement, Mr Adeleke said this at the 2023 annual lecture of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).

Mr Adeleke said his administration was committed and passionate about poverty alleviation and the state’s overall growth through localised and grassroots-oriented infrastructure.

“Any government that is serious about positive upliftment of the citizenry must focus on infrastructural growth. It is not an optional choice for elected or appointed leaders,” said the Osun governor. “It is the fastest route to tackle poverty, address under-development and securing the state is a seamless multimodal connectivity, closing the urban-rural gap, opening business opportunities and empowering the citizenry as productive economic operators.”

He added, “I may not quote any authority, but my experience supports my assertion that infrastructure deficit is mostly synonymous with poverty – endemic society. In fact, the difference between a developed and developing society is the level of infrastructure development.”

The Osun governor pointed out that any leader genuinely interested in lifting people out of poverty “must, therefore, prioritise development of transport, communication and allied facilities.”

The governor said infrastructure development was the livewire of societal transformation, calling for “close synergy between the political leadership and sectoral professional groups.”

Mr Adeleke said his administration was ready to partner NSE in the drive to develop Osun, adding that the NSE and other professional groups should accept his offer to partner in the state’s building and development.

(NAN)