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Diiversify The Economy, Atiku Urges Buhari

Published

9 years ago

on

Economy
Speaking in Lagos during the investiture ceremony of the 9th president and chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers on Wednesday, Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, gave out factors he feels is responsible for Nigeria current situation of economic decay and recession
Atiku said: “Our biggest problem is our addiction to oil revenues; the belief that we are doomed unless oil flows and oil money fills the Federation Account for our tiers of government to share.
 
“Another related, and flawed, belief is that the federal government alone is the only force, the know-all, be all, and do all that would direct and bankroll the diversification of our economy.
 
“And we have convinced ourselves, again wrongly, that the only reason that the federal government is unable to spend money to do all we expect it to do is that the money has been stolen. We must erase that mindset in order for us to begin to climb out of our current depths.
 
“Instead of looking at oil money as what was required to diversify the economy, the federal government must work out ways to empower the private sector to grow the economy and create jobs.
 
“I don’t mean selecting a few companies deemed worthy of government support. No, we need radical reforms that streamline our bureaucracy and eliminate rules and regulations that stifle innovation.
 
“We also need robust management processes that ensure that public money buys us better infrastructure, education outcomes and healthcare. Our most valuable resource is not our oil; it is our people. All of our people.
 
“The good news is that most Nigerians have forgotten about the oil money and moved on with their lives. The bad news is that our governments and political leaders don’t seem to have noticed that shift.”
He Further added:
“We can’t just borrow our way out of our oil addiction. Our governments must live on taxes, the way other democracies do. It will help us live within our means, as it means government can only spend what the people can bear.
 
“It will help ensure accountability as tax payers are more likely to ask for accountability when the money comes directly from their pockets,” he said.
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