Former Dean Charts Path To Economic Recovery

A former University teacher in Rivers State, Professor Dagogo  Fubara, has called on managers of the Nigerian economy to shift from export of raw materials to processed goods.
He said that no country can develop economically through dependence on raw materials export, pointing out that Nigeria’s dependence on crude oil export as its major income earner will not help the country’s economic advancement.
Fubara, a former Dean of Environmental Science Faculty at the Rivers State University, who disclosed this in a chat with journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa, Thursday, shortly on his arrival from Abuja, noted that the level of productivity is very low in Nigeria.
“Until Nigerians have a change of attitude towards productivity and knowledge, the economy will not move forward.
“Our problem is not how the country will be divided, it is not religion nor ethnicity as some may think, but our problem is selfishness and greed.
“Many states only depend on what they will share from the federal allocation without looking inward on what they can produce with their environment.
“There is a lot of looting of resources in this country. If these monies are injected into the economy, it will create jobs for the people”, Fubara stated.
The elder statesman also maintained that Nigeria’s problem is neither population, nor religion, pointing out that China with a  population of over 1.5 billion people with five major religions is waxing stronger economically, and wants to take over from the United States of  America.
He also called on leaders of the two major religions in the country to wake up to action through preaching and sensitizsing their members to be productive and always think on how to raise productivity of the country.
“We must restructure our thinking, restructure our economic productivity to begin to process goods for exports and as well restructure the educational system”, he stated.
According to him, any country that does not place high value on knowledge and information will never develop.
“We must have knowledge of the economy, knowledge of administration and management, and together, we will be a great nation, and true federalism should be practised where every state or section of the country should be allowed to develop at its own pace”, he stated.

Corlins Walter