Use dynamic policies, capable managers to drive economy cleric tells Buhari

The Federal Government has been advised to put in place dynamic policies and bring on board capable economic managers that will drive the economy.

Chairman, Wilson Badejo Foundation and General Overseer Emeritus, Foursquare Gospel Church Nigeria, Dr. Wilson Adebogun Badejo, stated this during a chat with newsmen on the occasion of his 72nd birthday celebration.

He said it is imperative for the government to make such moves to ensure youths are gainfully employed and consumables locally sourced to strengthen the Naira.

“In particular, our local refineries should be made to resume production so that we can become not only self-sufficient in petroleum products, but also exporters to our neighbouring countries that do not have the commodity,” he said.

Besides, he called on the new administration to invest meaningfully in the empowerment of youths via education, saying that several parts of the North-East, North-West and the North-Central are currently under the siege of bandits who are essentially youths.

Badejo also urged government to evolve policies that would ensure that the youths are exposed to Western education to enable them usefully engaged and be able to re-channel their energies towards rapid transformation of the society.

Speaking on state of the nation, the cleric said the impact of the fight against corruption by Buhari’s administration and the recovery of looted funds had remained insignificant as it has not translated into job opportunities or brought about a new lease of life for the teeming youths in the country.

  “The only thing that can bring relief is a turnaround in our economy such that we can run a productive economy whereby we manufacture locally what we consume rather than depend on importation of whatever we need even if it is ordinary toothpick.”

“Industrialisation is at the lowest ebb in the country as the enabling environment remains largely unconducive. The security situation in the country, for instance, does not support foreign investment while the combination of high tariffs, taxation and power shortage is forcing a lot of the industries to relocate to neighbouring countries,” he further said.

He, therefore, advised the Federal Government to intensify the war against corruption with a plan to turn its searchlight on wealthy individuals who will now have to explain the source of such wealth.