The Federal Government has commenced collation of data towards addressing infrastructure imbalance in all the zones of the country, with a view to stemming the tide of restiveness, corruption and poverty.

According to a press release by Akpandem James, Media Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma, this was made known by the acting chairman of the Federal Character Commission, FCC, Shettima Abba, during a courtesy visit on the Minister in Abuja on Friday.

The statement quoted Abba as saying that the FCC is already looking into data banks and soliciting information from appropriate quarters in a bid to properly establish the spread of basic infrastructural facilities as well as identify and confirm areas of real and perceived lopsidedness.

The FCC chairman explained that the commission intends to draw government’s attention to areas where there are genuine lapses as well as suggest measures to address them, so as to give every segment of the country a genuine sense of belonging.

Abba told the Minister that his team would require the assistance of the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in the course of its assignment, and advised Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to ensure equitable distribution of amenities across states and zones of the country.

Senator Udoma reaffirmed government’s resolve to ensure fairness to all the zones of the federation in the provision of infrastructural facilities.

He pointed out that in drafting the 2016 Budget, conscious effort was made to spread critical infrastructure across the six political zones.

Udoma informed the FCC team that the Federal Government already has in place an infrastructure master plan backed up with a strategic implementation plan to ensure that every state and zone is adequately catered for; pointing out that the thrust of the 2016 budget was on the provision of road and rail infrastructure.

The intention is that in the not too distant future, Nigerians should be able to easily chose on whether to travel across the country by road, rail or air.

Udoma said the initiative will also provide backbone infrastructure for agriculture and solid mineral development in line with the economic diversification agenda of the federal government.

He assured that the two establishments will work together in partnership towards an integration process that will usher in peace, progress and prosperity.