Unsettled with the economic situation in the country, an expert in economics, Dr Nkem Amadi, says Nigeria must increase its productivity and change consumption patterns to shore up the value of its naira.
Amadi, a senior economics lecturer at the Federal University, Wukari in Taraba State, who disclosed this to newsmen shortly on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, at the weekend, noted that the value of the naira will continue to depreciate, if productivity continues to go down in the country.
He noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had made several policy interventions to improve the value of the national currency, including via the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which was created and has enhanced farmers’ access to loans.
“This initiative alone has created millions of jobs, taken many youths off the crime path and rescued many local economies.
“Only economy-reflating and socially impactful efforts, as seen in such initiatives, in addition to consuming what we produce and producing what we consume, will give us the prospect of bringing up the value of the national currency and keeping it up,” he said.
Amadi described as unacceptable, the level of insecurity in the country and called for more strategic efforts towards ensuring the release of citizens being held in captivity by terrorists.
He also urged the government to prioritise the release of kidnapped victims, including the remaining Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu, the Kaduna train victims, and others.
According to him, government should be proactive in information dissemination about what it is doing concerning those in captivity in various parts of the country, rather than keeping people confused on its efforts.
The expert called on the youths to take advantage of their numerical strength to vote for competent Nigerians in the 2023 general elections, who can tackle the economy of the nation.
Amadi also called for the promotion of vocational skills and innovative entrepreneurship and values re-orientation for youths to create the right mindset that would enable them to function successfully in a 21st century world.

By: Collins Walter