A former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has said borrowings by the Nigerian Government, should facilitate development in the country.
Obi, who noted that although there is nothing bad in the idea of the country borrowing money, condemned the situation where such borrowings end up being used for consumption in the stead of being used to facilitate development.
The former Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spoke on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists, after leading a delegation of the management staff of the Dominican University on a courtesy call on Governor Seyi Makinde, at the Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Obi, who is the Pro-Chancellor of the University said, despite the FG’s borrowings, there is still poverty all over the country, challenging the people to compare the years the PDP was in power with present happenings in the country and expressed confidence that the PDP is coming back to power in 2023.
He said: “If we borrow for consumption, that is bad and Nigeria is borrowing for consumption. They have claimed that the money being borrowed is being invested but I ask where the investment is. If they have invested it, the economy will have been doing better but the economy is worse. We should borrow and invest, that is, to invest in the proper thing. What develops a nation is education, health and pulling people out of poverty.”
Speaking on the recently passed Petroleum Industry Bill, as assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, the ex-governor of Anambra State said consideration should have been given to the five percent for host communities.
He noted: “The PIB is needed but I thought we could have considered the five percent by host communities. We must learn to care for those generating resources for us whether it is petroleum, VAT. We should consider to support communities from where we are generating resources.”
Anambra Election
Obi also called for peace in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra state, saying the electoral umpire must ensure that the votes of the people count and urged citizens to start working towards building a country based on credibility, capacity and competence.
He said: “All we demand for Anambra is free, fair and credible election. Why can’t we have free and fair election in Nigeria? We are not asking for anything. Let the people’s vote count. People should stop preparing for election as if it is war. People take it as if it is war because they are not going there to serve the people. If you are going to serve the people, election should be free.”
Speaking during the courtesy call, Governor Seyi Makinde reiterated his administration’s determination to continue to make businesses thrive in all the nooks and crannies of the state, adding that more airline operators would commence operations in the Ibadan Airport soon, following his administration’s efforts to upgrade the Airport.
Educational System
Makinde disclosed that his administration would partner with Dominican University to improve the educational system of Oyo State, promising to look into the demands of the University as presented before the government, particularly the recovery of the 40 hectares of land it lost to the Lagos-Ibadan rail project.
He added that the state-owned Akufo Farm Settlement was equally affected by the rail project and the Circular Road, stating that his administration has been operating an open-door policy and would find a lasting solution to the challenges being faced by the Dominican University.
Nnenna.O
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