The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Utomi

  • Sagay, Utomi charge Fed Govt to learn from Lagos

    •Condemns cancellation of first Lagos metro line

    Nigeria’s fontline constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay, and a former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, yesterday urged the Federal Government to learn from the historic development taking place in Lagos State.

    The eminent Nigerians noted that the Federal Government has not made significant impact on the development of the nation.

    They spoke at the Freedom Park, Lagos Island, during the public presentation of a book, entitled: Fashola: The Historic Reconstruction of Lagos, written by Mr. Emeka Odikpo, a lawyer.

    Sagay said it is unfortunate that people currently holding political power at the centre have brought the country to shame before the comity of nations.

    He noted that politicians at the centre “limit everything to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”.

    He added: “They have no philosophy of government. They are just a group of people whose only intention is just to accumulate power and accumulate resources and enjoy themselves rather than take care of the entire country.

    “So, this is the type of the government that we have. It is the PDP type of mentality. When you have a breakaway type of PDP governor, like (Rivers State Governor Rotimi) Amaechi, who is trying to make an impact in the lives of the people and establish some legacies of good governance, it is not in the character of the PDP. So, they have to destroy him.”

    The don urged Fashola to look beyond Lagos politics and contest for the presidential election in 2015, adding that the kind of transformation Lagos witnessed under his administration and under his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, should be replicated at the centre.

    He noted that with the level of commitment and modest achievements recorded by his administration in Lagos, what “is next for Governor Fashola is to offer himself to serve the people at the national level”.

    Utomi blamed the cancellation of the metro line project during the administration of former Governor Lateef Jakande on the military.

    He said the decision has led to increased traffic congestion in the state.

    The economist said the Lagos transformation “is a mark of commitment and continuity”.

    Utomi added: “This is indeed a committed administration. For long, everyone has been talking about the Second Niger Bridge. The country will definitely learn from what is happening in Lagos.”

    The politician hailed Fashola for sustaining the good work his predecessor left behind, adding that for the governor “to have continued to sustain the work left behind, he must have been driven with passion”.

    Utomi decried the abolition of the metro line, which the Jakande administration began, by the military government under the late Air Commodore Mudashiru Lawal.

    According to him, the metro line being built by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when Lagos State was planning its own, has since been completed.

    Utomi said: “Though Lawal was a good man, one of my saddest days in life was when he stopped the metro line project. Kuala Lumpur, which started its metro line with Lagos, has since completed its.

    “I am happy that dream is being recreated now by the Fashola administration. Many of us will live to see that dream being fulfilled.”

  • Nigeria set for explosive growth, says Utomi

    Nigeria set for explosive growth, says Utomi

    The prospects for the Nigerian economy is positive, Prof Pat Utomi has said.

    Utomi, who is Founder, Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), and Director, Pan African University, warned that the country needs to do more to ensure government spending for the people in the area of job creation, skills, supply chains, investment and the quality of life.

    Speaking at a workshop in Lagos, Utomi said to achieve faster sustainable economic growth, with opportunities for all Nigerians to flourish, the government’s economic strategy should give clear priority to the approaches and policy levers which drive growth most effectively.

    According to him, Nigeria could become one of the biggest economies with wealthiest population if the government takes steps to empower the people, adding that Nigeria has all the necessary resources to become an economic force.

    However, in spite of its intrinsic natural resources, he said the economy still has to overcome significant barriers to realise its potential.

    Utomi said Nigeria faced several pressing issues such as high unemployment and weak economic growth.

    But looking forward ,he said the nation is capable of holding its own and in fact moving ahead of some of the other developed economies with the revitalisation of the capital market.

    Utomi urged the government prioritise agriculture for commercial purposes as it has led to the growth of the Brazilian economy. He said agriculture has great commercial potential.

    Faculty member,Lagos Business School, Dr Doyin Salami said the economy need to be competitive and for tasks to be solved successfully.He said the economy need to develop faster.

    In spite of the progress made in terms of Gross Domestic Product(GDP),he said concerns remain about competitiveness.

    Salami said the economy is hampered by low skills levels and poor transportation and other infrastructure.

    He said for the economy to remain competitive in domestic and international markets.

    Salami noted the existence of a skills gap,adding that this is affecting the ability of Nigerians to capitalise on high value opportunities in the economy.

    Efforts,he noted , have to be made to develop and match the skills needed within the economy.

    According to him, the weaker outlook for output growth means that the margin of economic slack is likely to be greater and more persistent.

    Business indicators ,he noted point to a continuation of that weakness in in the manufacturing sector.

     

  • Ohuabunwa, Utomi, others join business forum

    Stakeholders in different sectors of the Nigerian and British economy have initiated a new bilateral trade-promoting platform to benefit all categories of Nigerian and London based entrepreneurs.

    In a release made available to The Nation, the state said that the new body which is to be known as the Nigerian London Business Forum (NILOBF), parades distinguished personalities as board members including: Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, former President, Nigerian Economic Summit; Professor Pat Utomi, a respected entrepreneurial advocate; John Momoh, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Channels Television); Ray Ekpu, founding former Editor-in-Chief, Newswatch Magazine.

    Others include Dr. Adekola Ali, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Union Bank, UK Plc, Jonathan Banjo, Managing Director, AJB Executive Search Limited, London and Dr. Chris Onalo, Director, CBS Credit UK, who incidentally is also the initiator of the novel idea.

    Among other things, the board members are expected to carry out functions which are non-administrative and non-executive, but would border on bilateral policy advisory, advocacy as well as other essentials that strengthen bilateral engagements.

    According to the promoters, the objectives of the Nigerian London Business Forum are among others, to promote, support or oppose legislation or other policies and measures capable of affecting trade, investment, and business between Nigeria and London, as well as representing the opinion of London based Nigerian business community on those matters and the economy as a whole.

    The forum has also enjoyed the support and commitment of Nigeria High Commission in London who recognizes that down there in London, there is a very strong consciousness of the large population of Nigerians in business, the skills they have, the energy they have and their great economic potentials which has contributed in no small measure to the prosperity of the UK economy.