The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, has urged the National Council of works members to activate the infrastructure maintenance in the nation to create wealth and sustain long term jobs for citizens.

According to a statement by the ministry on Thursday, Fashola gave the charge to participants at the 27th Meeting of the National Council on Works in Bauchi, Bauchi State.

Fashola said, “I hope it would help all of our focus on, not just the importance of the investment in infrastructure, but more importantly on the maintenance of infrastructure, the economy around maintenance and sustainable and long-lasting jobs that are created through maintenance.

“You will notice that I have spoken about a maintenance economy not a maintenance culture. This is because maintenance is not a cultural thing, it is an existential matter of survival, bread and butter and income.

“Available data show that in the built industry, only about three per cent of the manpower is employable by design and construction which lasts until the project is completed, while the remaining 70 per cent are employed in the process of operation and maintenance of the infrastructure.”

Delivering his opening address, the governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, said, “As a deliberate policy, we have since assumption of office over two years ago embarked on the provision of infrastructure that has a direct bearing on the socioeconomic life of our people.”

Mohammed said that the state had embarked on accelerated urban renewal and rural development programme.