Economic growth: Ex-Minister, Udoma, advocates private sector-driven economy

Former Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma has advocated a private sector-driven economy in Nigeria, saying that it provides most of the investment required to grow the economy and create jobs.

He suggested that governments at all levels should create opportunities for private sector investment in job creation as well as provide an enabling environment that would encourage entrepreneurship, innovation, investment and wealth creation.

Udoma made the suggestion on Monday in Uyo, while speaking as Chairman of Akwa Ibom Dialogue, the formal launch of the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno, stating that government policies must be implemented, even as the non-implementation of government policies have been the bane of governance.

He charged Governor Eno to ensure that the policies of the ARISE agenda must be directed at making Akwa Ibom State one of the most desirable destinations for investment in Nigeria and indeed Africa.

“Government must provide an environment that encourages entrepreneurship, innovation, investment and wealth creation.

“It is incongruent on those in government to get those of us in the private sector to know the opportunities they are creating for private sector investment.

“A healthy private sector drives economic growth. It is the private sector that provides most of the investment that is required to grow the economy and create jobs, and job creation must be the essential part of His Excellency’s agenda, as creating jobs is the fastest way to alleviate poverty and elevate the living standards of our people.

“To be sustainable, most of these jobs must be in the private sector. In my view, government policies must be directed at making Akwa Ibom State one of the most desirable destinations for investment in Nigeria and indeed Africa.

“To achieve success, we must set ourselves ambitious targets. Your Excellency, fellow Akwa Ibomites, let us think big,” he stated.

Speaking, Governor Umo Eno, said his ARISE agenda would be focused on agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, security, and education, adding that it is time Akwa Ibom people take ownership of the dream and articulate its realisation together.

Eno explained that the ARISE agenda is further broken down into 17 focal sectors targeted for short, medium and long-term implementation and urged the people, irrespective of their political leanings to eschew hatred and join hands together to build the state.

He stated that his administration would be operating a new template and urged the incoming Executive cabinet to key into it, but warned that excuses would not be tolerated in his administration.

“I would like to inform the incoming Commissioners that you are coming into a new season. You may be old on the job but there is a new template. I have fulfilled my part of the bargain with you to ensure that as colleagues, we come back together and run the government because you laboured during the elections.

“We worked together, I didn’t just have the heart to throw you away but the truth is, there is work to be done. The truth is, we will not take excuses, we will take results. We still need your wisdom, we still need your ideas, that is why there is a continuity in this government, so we can sit together and finish. But how far you will travel will depend on you. If you don’t deliver, you will hear the announcement on the news,” he stressed.

Speaking as the special guest of honour at the event, immediate past governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel called the people to cooperate with his successor, to actualize his ARISE agenda, saying that Akwa Ibom has the human resources to realise the goal.

Emmanuel said execution, planning and acceptance of the agenda would drive its actualisation and warned the people against distracting the governor with negative comments.

Also speaking, former Governor, Obong Victor Attah said the ARISE was the restoration of the dream he had for the state that was fading away and urged that the policies realised from the dialogue and the blueprint of the agenda must be implemented for the state to make progress.

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