FG inaugurates working group on $3trn infrastructure master plan

FEDERAL Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group for the Development of the first operational plan for the implementation of the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan.

NIIMP envisages an investment requirement of $3trn between 2014 and 2043 to cover energy, transport, Information and Communications Technology, agriculture, water and mining, housing, social infrastructure, vital registration and security infrastructure for the country.

The TWG with membership drawn from the relevant agencies of government, academia and private sector is to work on the first operational plan which is expected to cover the 2017 to 2020 fiscal periods.

Inaugurating the committee on Tuesday in Abuja, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Naional Planning, Mrs Fatima Medee said as a long term plan, NIIMP would be implemented under a five-year operational plan that would allow for periodic review.

This, she added, would enable the government to translate strategic goals to objectives and align priorities with the recently launched Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

“The first operational plan, which is to cover the period 2017-2020, will serve as capital allocation framework across sectors for annual budgeting.

“It will therefore identify priority infrastructure projects of Ministries, Departments and Agencies that will have catalytic effect on economic growth of the nation and elaborate on enablers for implementation.”

Highlighting their terms of reference, Mede said the committee would carry out a comprehensive review of the sectors, spotlight the current issues, challenges and opportunities among others.

It will also review existing sub-sector master plans strategies and identifying the missing links with other sectors of the economy for effective implementation.

It is also expected to identify and prioritise projects and programmes for phased implementation over the period of 2017 to 2020; estimate funding requirements and options as well as recommend appropriate financing mechanisms for the identified project.

In addition, the committee would identify enablers for the delivery of the projects, suggest a set of performance indicators for tracking implementation; identify project risks and recommend possible mitigating measures.