Infrastructure can be developed through taxation –AfDB

African Development Bank, AfDB, has noted that the huge amount realised from taxations, was enough to ensure infrastructural developments in different countries of the countries.
Acting Vice President and Chief Economist of the AfDB, Mr Steve Kayizzi-Mugerwa said governments can do more to finance their own infrastructures while ensuring that those infrastructure withstand the test of time and as well as ensuring that the citizens, especially in rural areas, benefit from such developments
According to him, there huge demand for infrastructural developments in Africa, disclosing that funds coming from donor agencies and governments is not sufficient to build effective infrastructure.
‘’African governments need to look at innovative ways to finance the infrastructure gap, including engaging in more public-private partnerships, PPPs.
Speaking on “Financing Infrastructure: Raising the Bar” at the African Development Bank’s Annual General Meetings in Abidjan, he said, “we often think of global and regional infrastructure that open up borders, which is very good.
But we need to think local as well’’, adding that more emphasis needs to be placed on urban development, particularly on what goes underground as urban infrastructure often does not take into account, the impact of building upon the drainage, sewage systems and water systems.
“If African cities are to be places of advancement, this infrastructure needs to be revisited’’, he added. AfDB has supported 49 publicprivate partnerships, PPP, in the power sector, saying the way to go in infrastructural development is the private sector.