ABUJA – The President, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Dr Nelson Uwaga, has urged the Federal Government to shift from oil resources and develop the solid mineral and agricultural sectors for even development.
Uwaga made the appeal when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.
He expressed optimism that Nigeria moving from the current mono-economy of oil would help increase business opportunities, eliminate hunger and create additional jobs for the country.
“There is no state in Nigeria that does not have an abundance of solid mineral.
“All we need to do is to create the right environment to explore it. Even if the money is coming from oil, we do not have to share all and spend all.
“Solid minerals is a sector that we can develop and there will be more than enough jobs, particularly when the Federal Government does this in collaboration with the federating units or states where these minerals are found,’’ he said.
Uwaga said that getting more people involved in agriculture was a sure way to eradicate hunger and poverty in the society because hunger tended to make people aggressive and disagreeable.
“Look at the fertile lands we have; look at the irrigation systems we have in Nigeria. If we put in a lot more into agriculture and develop it, this country will feed itself and will export so much.
“The middle belt is so fertile that we can say we are the envy of every other country. We can compete with the U.S. if we look into agriculture.
“It will create a lot of jobs and mop up the young men that are roaming the streets and from which the militants and insurgents are now finding recruits,’’ he said.
Uwaga urged government to also put in place the right policies that would encourage the creation of small and medium scale industries.
He said this would enable Nigeria to yield the kind of progressive economy it had the potential. (NAN)
