By; AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna.
Former Central Bank Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, has noted that for Nigeria to reposition its economic situation, the Federal government must unfasten it hand on the control of states resources.
He explained that states must be given incentives to go out of their ways to enhance their economic viability for effective development in the country.
Speaking in Kaduna, Thursday at the 4th Progressive Governance Lecture Series of the Progressive Governors Forum, he said with the present economic recession, Nigerians should plan without oil by evolving other avenues for the overall development of the country.
Professor Soludo, who was the Guest Speaker with the topic topic; “Building the economy of States: Challenge of developing Inclusive and Sustainable Growth” said, if APC were to govern progressively, there should be a structure of how the government operate, stressing that this could be done by going back to the party’s manifesto.
He enjoinrd the APC-led government to stop reminding Nigerians of the problems they inhirited but should evolve ways out of the present challenges with definite date.
Professor Soludo expressed dismay that the current expenditure was more than the income, adding that the present situation was characterise with low production, corruption, terrorism, kidnapping and other social vices that are posing a negative impact in the growth of the economy.
He stressed that it was an opportunity for the government to diversify the economy, adding that the country has very cheap labour to reposition the economy.
He observed that in spite of all challenges in the country, there was hope for the future of Nigeria, pointing out that a drop in the price of crude oil was a clarion call and a blessing for Nigeria to use the opportunity to raise its economic base without necessarily depending on oil.
He noted that most of the Northern states were suffering from poverty with desertification affecting the economic activities of the region, stressing that demography must be delt with and ways must be considered towards empowering the teeming youth to participate in the policy of economic growth.
Nigeria, he said, was a fragile state that needs leaders to distinguish themselves by taking the people out of the present economic woes, adding that the only way to do so was for states government to enhance their economic base and ensure standard structure that would be introduced to arrest the present economic situation.
Earlier, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo said Nigeria had the ability to improve on the present situation couple with the human and natural resources that abound in the country.
He said there was the need for Nigerians to go back to the roundtable by coming up with realistic framework that would make the country great, stressing that Nigeria has the resources to become great.
He called on the civil servants to see themselves as being the hope of making the possible change needed in the country.
