Asue Ighodalo, the chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit has given a clarion call to all Nigerians to make the country a beacon of hope and prosperity.
Ighodalo made the call while declaring open the 27th Nigerian economic summit (NES #27) with the theme, ‘Securing our future: the fierce urgency of now,’ kicks off on Monday, October 25, 2021, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The chairman of NES27 enjoined Nigerians to go beyond petty game playing and finger-pointing and embrace the unity of mind and purpose to rebuild the country.
“Although our challenges are many, we should not despair,” he said.
The national economic summit convenes national and international leaders in government, business, politics among others through a hybrid summit platform of in-person and virtual dialogues inside the conference hall of Transcorp Hilton Abuja.
He reiterated that the world is looking at Nigeria and Nigerians how they navigate through their challenges, but maintained that the world is not waiting for Nigeria.
Hence he emphasised the need for urgency in eradicating poverty in all states of the federation. He called on corporate bodies to support the various governments in providing improved health care, education among others.
Read also: How anti-competitive practices affect businesses, consumers, and the economy
In securing the future of Nigeria, Ighodalo insists that the leaders must be seen to be committed and to live above board. He encouraged leaders to be humble enough to accept mistakes and retool.
Ighodalo made it clear that the time has come for the country to diversify from oil to non-oil revenues.
Clem Agba, the minister of state for budget and national planning stated that in the wake of growing security threats, rising unemployment, and poverty rates, widening inequality, and an economy in slow recovery, the actions of the previous summits have helped the federal government in shaping its policy reforms.
Agba said the federal government has put measures and incentives in place to resuscitate the declining economy.
Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, the former Ethiopian Prime Minister enjoined the governments at all levels to put the people at the centre of their policy implementations.
He reiterated that securing Nigeria’s future amounts to securing the African future, insisting that in every five Africans is a Nigerian.
