By UDEME CLEMENT
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) wants the Federal Government to invest massively in infrastructure development in order to create an enabling environment for its economic transformation agenda to succeed.

The President of NASU, Mrs. Ladi Iliya, said this while addressing participants at the union’s 5th quadrennial national delegates conference, held in Abuja, stressing that physical infrastructure like electricity, transportation and communication networks are needed for a functional market economy.

She said, “Infrastructure development is the foundation of economic development, progress and human security. Without stable electricity, manufacturing, mining and agriculture which are usually the large employers of labour in developing economies cannot strive. It is therefore not surprising that most manufacturing firms closed and some relocated to neighbouring countries leaving a trail of loss of jobs. Our electricity supply deficit is well known all over the world. The few remaining manufacturing industries and small businesses are generator driven.

“Transportation as part of infrastructure is one of the pillars of every economy. No meaningful economic transformation can take place without efficient rail system, road and water transportation. Our rail system has collapsed in spite of the huge budgetary allocation annually. The medical facilities have long been neglected. The educational sector is deteriorating. If we must stem the deteriorating state of our educational system, the infrastructures of educational institutions from primary, secondary to tertiary must be developed”.

Also speaking, the general secretary of NASU, Comrade Peter Adeyemi, said the paradox of Nigeria ’s development, abject poverty amidst abundant resources, may be a factor of inconsistent polices to nurture economic growth and event development. According to him, “our refineries are not working because of economic sabotage. The war against corruption is as weak as the structure prosecuting it. If our roads are fixed, the rail system overhauled, electricity supply is uninterrupted, Nigerians can access affordable health care and education, they would have been willing to reason with government on the removal of subsidy. Government must ensure the discharge of its mandate first and foremost before employing a moral platform to seek for the masses support on removal of fuel subsidy.

He explained, “at the macro-economics level, we continue to make significant contributions to issues of national economic importance.

“The union in line with its constant mandate made significant attempts to better the lot of NASU members by securing agreements on a number of welfare packages. Also, as significant stakeholder in the education sector, we made fundamental inputs into the seeming stability in this important sector by our conscious disposition to make meaningful contributions”.