Volume 6, Number 1

Challenges and Prospects of Infrastructure Development in Gombe Metropolis, North East Nigeria

  Authors

Misbahu Sa’idu & Ramatu Boyi, Federal University Kashere, Nigeria

  Abstract

The development of infrastructure has long been recognized as critical to economic growth and development as it facilitates economies of scale, reduces costs of trade, and is thus central to specialization and the efficient production and consumption of goods and services. This informed efforts at provision of infrastructure at both national and sub national levels. However, there are evidences to show that infrastructure provisioning is often characterized by numerous obstacles. It is against this backdrop that this paper examined these constraints within the context of Gombe Metropolis in North Eastern Nigeria using both primary and secondary sources. The result showed that weak political will, corruption, financial, institutional, and topographical constraints constitute some of the major challenges faced in developing a viable infrastructure in Gombe. Nevertheless, the paper went further to demonstrate that depoliticization of infrastructure projects, Alternative sources of infrastructure financing, government diversification policy, new infrastructure policy and reforms constitute the prospect for developing a robust infrastructure for sustainable economic development in Gombe and by implication, North Eastern Nigeria.

  Keywords

Corruption, Development, Infrastructure, Political Will, Reforms.