From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has said restructuring Nigeria will boost the economy and put an end to the security challenges in the country.
Obi said this in Nsukka, Enugu State, yesterday, while delivering the 4th Adada Lecture titled “Restructuring, security challenges and development,”organised by Association of Nsukka Professors (ANP), held at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
He said with restructuring governors of various states would look inward to make their states productive and establish state, local and community police that would end criminality.
“It is unfortunate that some people believe in going to Abuja monthly to get federal allocation from proceeds of oil, but such people have forgotten that the price of oil in the international market has depreciated and will continue to depreciate. Even developed countries do not depend on oil alone, rather they are focused on production, human investment and encouragement of small and medium scale business.Recent happenings in the country has shown that there is urgent need to restructure the country, failure to do it soonest may lead to total collapse of the economy,” he said.
He wondered why Nigerians are not so comfortable when they hear the word ‘restructuring’ stressing that people should stop misunderstanding restructuring as a plan to divide the country, but rather see it as measure to boost the economy as well as end insecurity in the country.
He said a restructured Nigeria will bring out the cooperative advantage of every zone and state and many dormant natural resources would be fully harnessed and explored.
Chinyeaka Ohaa,chairman of the occasion said that the topic of the occasion could not have come at a better time as the country than now when the country is witnessing serious security challenges.