Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has described unemployment as greatest challenges to viable economy in the country.
Uduaghan, while officiating at the opening ceremony of a 2-day workshop on “Economic Diversification and Enhanced Revenue Generation” held in Asaba lamented the high degree of unemployment, regretting the act he said poses serious threat to Nigeria’s economy.
While noting that the theme of the 2-day workshop was topical and dear to the heart, he disclosed that there was no better time to discus such than now, adding that the workshop will usher in ideas, including solutions to critical times the South-South region is presently facing, especially with the economic problems of oil derivation.
Uduaghan who insisted on 50 per cent of oil derivation of the Niger Delta Region challenged those in authorities to accept the fact that most of the nation’s resources are from the oil producing states.
He urged the people of the region to look at other sources of economy as the means of revenue generation to better the lots of the people rather than continued focus of, 90 per cent dependant on oil.
According to him, “There is need to diversify and change this nation depending on oil alone, hence we in Delta state has strategize the need to generate more revenue without oil, as we say, Delta Beyond Oil”.
He disclosed that the state has been committed to better lot of people, especially in the area of power supply, transportation, urbanization and human capital, adding that in the last five years, the state offers free health care services to the people.
He explained: “Delta state has contributed N15.7 billion to federal government to complete power that will improve power supply in most parts of the country, besides we have 135 first class graduates and in no distant time the state will encourage 10 medium scale industries to encourage our farmers. And also has funded one hundred thousand Micro Credit Scheme to enhance the wellbeing of the unemployed”.
He said that environmental challenges such as water pollution and indiscriminate bush burning have informed another areas of problems seen as setback to economic improvement and disclosed measures by the state government to clean up many of the polluted rivers so as to improve on the fish farming for the farmers.
The Chairman, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Engr. Elias Mbam in his welcome address, commended the Governor and the people of the state for accepting to host the workshop, disclosing that it was third in the series organized by the Commission in each of the six geological zone of the country.
He said that the workshops were aimed at sensitizing the federal, state and local government councils on the need to diversify their sources of revenue to meet the increasing expenditure requirement of governance and development.
While envisaging that the workshops would explore peculiar potentials, share experiences on how to explore, develop various resource endowment available, Engr. Mbam assured the people of developmental skills to addressing the perilous times they might be faced with.
According to him, “it is our believe that we must diversify our nation’s economy to guarantee the actualization of the nation’s Vision 2020, the oil and gas resources which presently drives the nation’s economy, are exposed to international prize volatility, exhaustible and non renewable”, adding that it was imperative to find sustainable means of funding the development.
In his remarks, Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole represented by his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu said infrastructural deficit at the local and state level requires financial outlay in terms of planning, execution and maintenance and disclosed the need to look back at the yester-years when agricultural produce formed the main source of revenue for development.
He said: “it is imperative that action plans to degenerate the oil palm, rubber as well as cocoa plantation that were initiated to bring sufficient attention to solid mineral deposit giving to us by God”.
