…Calls for reorientation, empowerment of youths to drive national economy

ZAINAB JUNAID

The group Managing Director of Widescope Group, Dr. Segun Musa has on Wednesday bemoaned the continued increase in poverty rate in the Country despite availability of abundance resources, 64 years on.

He attributed the increasing rate to leadership challenge and corruption.

While speaking at the 5th Annual Conference & Excellent Leadership achievements awards of Nigeria Economic Growth Forum (NEGF) organized by TM Concept publisher, Adisa Olamilekan, in Lagos, Dr Segun posited that the menace of corruption and bad leadership have continued to bedeviled the advancement and stifled the progress of the Country.

Represented by Engr. Onoroisa Mark Onuchi as the keynote speaker of the suspicious event themed- “Nigeria 64th Independence Anniversary and 25th year Uninterrupted Democracy: Challenges and Prospects, which way forward”, Dr Segun opined that despite being richly endowed with vast resources, Nigeria remains the poverty capital.

To him, “We all are witnesses of Nigeria experiences since inception of Independence. Having celebrated 64th Independence Anniversary with 25th year Uninterrupted Democracy, there are fundamental questions as citizens of this nation, which we need to ask ourselves on how far we have gone, what are we getting right and what are we getting wrong?

“Fundamentally, it is leadership challenge and the impact of corruption in the nation that have bedeviled the advancement and stifled the country’s progress. Obviously starvation is an issue that has continued to re-occur and has continued to pull down people into the heart beat of the Nation.

“Nigeria remains the poverty capital and that does not speak well of the nation that is so endowed and yet found ourselves at the back waters of development,” he stated.

Speaking on the potentials of Marine and blue economy, Musa affirmed that strategically, if all the potentials available in Nigeria are fully utilized, the Country would advance more than it’s current state and become a leading nation.

“We know very well that Nigeria is blessed with 853 kilometers of Coast lines, 12 major Ports which avails the Country, maritime nation advantage, if we are only to explore our Blue economy, it will surprise you that we would have very much advance status but so many things are left there because we don’t have leaders that have the capacity to make things happen. And that is why we are still where we are today, battling with poverty.

“With over 70% of Nigerians, infact 70% of West Africans, When Its comes to poverty, Nigeria takes the larger portion of it and this does not speak well of us as a nation. We have what it takes to become a leading nation, all we need is to utilize it judiciously,” he emphasized.

Going down memory lane, Engr. Onuchi revealed that the younger part of his life was spent at Ajaokuta Steel company area where he realized that the potential of flagship of car production would have positioned Nigeria as an industrialised nation, if utilised wisely.

“The potential of flagship in terms of car production would have positioned Nigeria as an industrialized nation. Nigeria is meant to be an industrial nation and as number 1 in terms of global impact because we have all the natural resources to make it fly. We are the 4th largest producers of Cocoa globally. Switzerland thrives so well in Cocoa by refining and making use of it judiciously. Nigeria battle with all kinds of vices which are woes of our development.

“Also looking at Agriculture, we have what it takes to care for the world, we are rather battling with all kinds of vices in the Country. Youth empowerment can also drive the Nigeria economy if taken into consideration. So many advantages we are not taking ownership of. Corruption is also a key element that should be looked into. So, we need reorientation, education and empowering of our youth, as this is key in enhancing a sustainable development.

“Addressing insecurity in Nigeria is another critical issue because most people are leaving the country because of insecurity challenges, so we need to look at community policing, education, entrepreneurship, building of more infrastructure, to achieve a common goal,” he maintained.

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