ABUJA – Dr Nelson Uwaga, delegate representing professional bodies at the National Conference, has called for the development of solid minerals available in each state to boost national development.
Uwaga, President, Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), made the call during interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.
He said that every state of the country had enough resources to sustain it and create jobs.
“Every state in this country is endowed with abundant natural resources, so why are we depending solely on oil?
“We need to develop these resources and we can only do this when we devolve power from the centre and develop the country economically’’, he said.
Uwaga advised the country to emulate Indonesia in the use of earnings from the oil sector to develop other sectors of the economy rather than sharing the revenue among states.
“Indonesia has oil but you never hear about it, because specifically, the oil is meant to developed industries. It is purely for development.
“I agree they have in their system that such weak states are supported and that is because we must be our brothers’ keepers.
“Beyond that, they don’t share their money the way we do here. They use it to set up industries and the result is that there are jobs, and the youths are working and they don’t have time to go for insurgency.’’
The delegate stressed the need to improve the country’s power supply to boost industrial development and employment generation.
He said, “If there is enough power supply in this country, the economic structure of will change completely and people will work.
“Nigerians are the strongest people that I have ever met on this planet. They are bold, strong and innovative but need the right environment.’’
Uwaga said there was need for government to invest in education and ensure that every citizen acquired sound education.
“ We need the basic education to move on in life. We also need education that will create jobs and not education that will look for jobs.
“Whether we like it or not, we must make sure we invest money in education and forcefully ensure that everybody is educated.
“It is only when we are educated that we can operate on the same frequency and understand each other.’’
He also said there was need to restructure the country in a way that would ensure equity, fairness and discourage corruption.
“We must also capture fiscal responsibility that will address corruption at all level.
He said there should be a mechanism to hold all the states accountable for funds allocated to them. (NAN)