The Federal Government has been advised to look inward for a solution to the nation’s economic woes.
A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Celestine Chukwunenye, who gave the advice in a statement, said since “our problems are internal and local”, the solutions could also come from within.
He said the country is blessed with abundant experts who understand its economic system. On recovery of stolen national assets through bogus or inflated contracts, Chukwunenye said “Those who voluntarily return what they stole should not be prosecuted” to avoid the waste of scarce financial resources on the knotty court cases.
Chukwunenye is pained by the prevailing insecurity in the country. He said the issue must be tackled through a multi-faceted approach to save lives and property. He added: “The states and local governments must be strengthened and charged to provide adequate security for their residents. Political prisoners should be set free and handed over to their states for appropriate rehabilitation and management.”
The APC stalwart advised President Bola Tinubu to integrate operators of illegal refineries in the Niger Delta region to enable them to grow and develop local refining capacity. His words: “Local people with the knowledge and skills of refining crude oil should be encouraged to improve their facilities and make them environmentally safe.”
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He warned against the ongoing “destruction of artisanal refineries and reliance on foreign refineries. It is not only wrong but stupid”.
On the aviation sector, Chukwunenye said: “Our private airlines should be assisted to start utilising all our Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA). Governments at all levels can invest in these airlines to make them bigger and more viable, by acquiring up to 40 per cent equity stake in such ventures. Going to invest in a foreign airline to utilise our BASA is an act of self-hate. Those who took such a decision needed to be pitied and investigated to determine what went wrong. Utilising our BASA will quickly yield us needed foreign exchange, which will help foreign airlines repatriate their earnings in our dear country.”
He also urged the government “to leverage on the Nigeria Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Health Management Organisations (HMOs) to extend health insurance coverage to individual Nigerians, families and artisanal groups e.g. mechanics, vulcanisers, market men and women, tailors etc”. He added: “This will lead to improved coverage, better healthcare, and finances.”
