The Association of Pro
fessional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), has protested the growing preference of the three tiers of government for foreign professionals to execute developmental projects in the country.
The trend, it said, had resulted in the strangulation of the professionals and the country’s economy, pointing out that no economy could develop on a sustainable basis without the involvement of its professionals.
The President, APBN, Alhaji Bala Kaoje, said the nation was in serious need of stand-out professionals who would help in realising the objectives of Public-Private Partnership initiatives.
He urged members of the association not to shy away from their responsibility of supporting the government in its quest to meet the aspirations of the citizens in terms of welfare and security, while imploring the government to take affirmative action to reduce rising unemployment as this would go a long way in eradicating poverty in the country.
Speaking during the Annual General Meeting/Awards of Professional Excellence organised by the association in Lagos on Saturday, Kaoje also advised the Federal Government to do everything possible to reduce the nation’s escalating domestic debt, which he said currently stood at $43.99 billion.
The reduction of the domestic debt profile, according to him, will provide succour to local contractors and consultants.
Kaoje said the nation’s domestic debt ratio currently stood at 88 per cent, while the foreign debt component was 12 per cent.
He pointed out that the appropriate debt ratio was 60 per cent for domestic borrowing and 40 per cent for foreign, and urged the government to, as a matter of urgency, strike a balance in the interest of the nation.
Besides, the APBN boss also asked the Federal Government to correct the imbalance in the nation’s budgeting system where about 70 per cent of the budget was for personnel and recurrent costs, while only 30 per cent or less was left for capital projects.
Kaoje noted that the nation was currently facing challenges and uncertainties characterised by the activities of various forces, with the resultant socio-economic and political tension.
He enjoined government to find solutions to the challenges of insecurity, unemployment, Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and epileptic power supply, among others.
He also urged the Federal Government to settle the impasse between it and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) so that the nation’s tertiary educational institutions could reopen quickly in order to avoid the production of half-baked university graduates.
Kaoje also canvassed the review of the nation’s National Energy Policy in order to drive development in the sector.
The APBN boss lamented the devastating effects of climate change and natural disasters across the globe, including the African continent, and particularly Nigeria, where flooding was becoming rampant, adding that proactive steps must be taken to checkmate the menace in the future.