By Nudoiba Ojen
The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, Hon. Olusola Fatoba, has hailed Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, for the ongoing flyover project of his administration in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
Fatoba said, “The bridge is necessary to ease movement in the affected area. If you are familiar with that area where the bridge is being constructed, you will know that there is always bottleneck there when it comes to movement of goods and services.
The member representing Ado/Irepodun-Ifelodun Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, spoke in a chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti.
He said, The flyover will add more value to economy of the state and by the time the airport will be in operation, definitely it is going to enhance the movement of goods and services within that axis.Those coming and going out of the capital will have easy access to neighbouring states and communities. So to me it’s a good initiative”.
Fatoba said that local production was crucial to ending the hardship being experienced by Nigerians at the moment, hence the need to support the manufacturing sector to discourage imports and boost the country’s economy.
According to him, the clamour in some quarters for reopening of the borders is unnecessary as Nigerians should be preoccupied with how to produce what we consume rather than dependence on foreign-produced goods.
He said, “Re-opening of the borders will not solve the economy crisis the nation has found itself, but it will rather cripple the country. I am not an advocate or a supporter of opening of our borders for foreign goods to be brought into our country.
“Let us endure whatever situation we find ourselves. We should be able to produce what we eat and if there are things we cannot produce, let us call on the experts from those countries to come and put us through so that we can be doing them ourselves and we pay those experts off rather than allowing all manners of junks finding their way into our country”.
The federal lawmaker urged state governments to look into programmes that would improve the people’s living standards, saying, “If the federal and state governments can empower the average Nigerian through incentives that will boost massive production at the local level, the economy of Nigeria will be back in no distant time”.
On the rising prices of foodstuffs despite the naira gaining values against the dollar, Fatoba said it was the duty of government to regulate prices of goods and services in the market at a time like this.
“Appropriate government agencies should be up and doing in ensuring the prices of goods and services is regulated. It is only in Nigeria that whenever the prices of goods and services go up to come down becomes difficult unless it’s forced.
“That is why despite the fact that Naira is gaining, prices of food keep skyrocketing. But if Nigeria can regulate the prices then we can have a stable and unified prices of these things in the market”.
Fatoba said, “If the manufacturing sector is encouraged, it will ease the burden on an average Nigerian. The government should invest massively in agriculture, let us subsidize equipment and staple crops more. We can give out tractors, chemicals, crops and other equipment needed that will enhance farmers’ productivity.
“We should also encourage our artisans to produce those things we need and once we can have them in large quantities, majority of the challenges facing our country will be solved.
“We also have to plug the loopholes in the economy, money should not just disappear without traces. All these should be accurately accounted for so that it stays in the economy and further stabilizes the economy,” the lawmaker said.
