President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, led prominent Nigerians from far and near to pour praises on former Lagos State Governor and All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tinubu turns 65, today.
The occasion was the 9th Bola Tinubu Colloquium tagged: ‘Make it in Nigeria: Use What We Make, Make What We Use’, held at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The colloquium attracted eminent Nigerians such as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Bello Masari (Katsina). Former governors present included, Aremo Segun Osoba (Ogun), Otunba Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Alhaji Lateef Jakande (Lagos), Timipre Slyva (Bayelsa) and Otunba Gbenga Daniel (Ogun).
There were also former Vice President, Namadi Sambo; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu; Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister for Finance, Kemi Adeosun; Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah; Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu and Alhaji Aliko Dangote; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; traditional rulers members of the National and State Houses of Assembly.
A variety of exhibitions by the Nigeria Airforce, the Lagos State Polytechnic and University of Lagos added glitz and flavour to the event held amid tight security. Indeed, security agents cordoned off the area with some overzealous security guards with Solution Golden Events preventing journalists and some guests from gaining entry.
Responding, Tinubu outlined what can be taken as 12 steps that will take Nigeria out of recession and accelerate socio-economic development. While calling on Nigerians to patronise made in Nigeria goods; he said we must build a new nation by casting aside the prejudices of yesterday; reshape/restructure the economy and end pursuit of economic balance with the precious things that Nigeria produces.
He also said we must embrace economic diversification and industrial policy because ‘”no populous modern nation with a significant urban population has attained prosperity without creating an industrial base capable of employing great numbers of the urban population and of manufacturing goods for domestic consumption and export.”
‘”We must press forward with a national industrial policy fostering development of strategic industries that create jobs and spur further economic growth. As part of this plan, government should institute a policy of tax credits, subsidies and the insulation from the negative impact of imports critical for these sectors.’’
To complement the industrial plan, Tinubu said provision of infrastructure and steady power supply are important.
“Closely complementing the industrial plan, we need a national infrastructure plan. New structures need to be built and existing ones enhanced so that we enjoy a coherently planned and integrated infrastructural grid. A national economy cannot grow beyond the capacity of the infrastructure that serves it. Of utmost importance, we must conquer the political and bureaucratic bottlenecks preventing affordable, reliable electrical power,’’ he said.
The Asiwaju also canvassed agricultural reform and credit for business investment as consumer spending is too costly in Nigeria to be of much help, mortages and clement interest rates, adding: ‘’We have to revamp our government-backed home mortgage system.”
Mortgage loan agencies need to be better funded, they must liberalize eligibility requirements so more people qualify and they should provide longer-term mortgages with manageable interest rates.’’
Looking at the economy, he said: ‘”Today, we must ask a most fundamental question: Is our our political economy structured for the benefit of man or have we reduced man to be subservient to the impersonal political economy? The correct answer looms self evident. The political economy should be for the benefit of man. In reality, we do not first try to reshape the economy to realize optimal benefit for the people. Instead, we have been conditioned to demand that the people contort themselves to fit the dictates of what the economy is or what it isn’t. I reject this harsh path. It violates the tenets of morality and of sustainable economics itself. We must begin and end our pursuit of economic balance with the precious things this nation produces.’’
Noting that President Buhari is already on this course and working well with his vice, Tinubu urged Nigerians to join hands to make the journey successful in spite of initial pains.
“I must applaud President Buhari. He meticulously followed our constitution in temporarily transferring the helm to the VP. As such, the two excellent men exemplified teamwork and true meaning of unity of purpose.
“I have listened to the Minister of Finance, Nigeria stands at a defining juncture. Our challenges are manifold and profound. Yet, so are our collective abilities and talents. Don’t ignore them. One more thoughts shall suffice. Here, I add a third part to this year’s theme. Not only must we use what we make and what we use. We must fix our minds to make what the world values”, Tinubu said.
__________
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2017 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.
