An Obafemi Awolowo University lecturer, Prof. Chijioke Uwasomba, has appealed to the Federal Government to evolve people-oriented policies and programs that will improve the lives of citizens.
Uwasomba said this during the Maroon Square Discourse on Wednesday in Lagos.
The event organised with support from Rosa Luxemburg Foundation had the theme: “The Face of Poverty in Nigeria.”
Uwasomba noted that poverty would continue to plague the country unless the structure of the economy was altered in a self-reliance direction with strong emphasis on job creation through agriculture and industrialization.
“Our economy should become productive, and it can only be productive if the government enacts business-friendly policies.
“Presently, some policies of the government are deepening poverty and misery of citizens, and I strongly appeal that the policies should be reviewed.
“We need policies that can bring hope to the people, policies that would bring food and stimulate production would make people happy.
“When the people are happy, earning good salaries and seeing value for their money, crime and insecurity would reduce in the society,” he said.
He urged the government to embrace some policies and programs that were in existence before the 1986 Structural Adjustment Program.
Uwasomba stressed that the government has a role to play in regulating the foreign exchange market, noting that the economy shouldn’t be left to the vagaries of demand and supply.
The professor appealed to the government to intensify efforts to stabilize the naira, increase local production and rehabilitation of the refineries.
He added that good governance which provides radical changes and inclusive social and economic institutions must be taken into account while designing strategies to reduce poverty.
Uwasomba urged the government to reduce its reliance on advice from Brentwood institutions, stressing that the country should embrace home grown solutions in addressing its challenges.
Also, Mr Onyeisi Chiemeke, Policy Director of Maroon Square, said the forum was to raise the bar of intellectual discourse that would positively impact the lives of citizens.
Onyeisi noted that deprivation had affected the society, especially women and children, adding that efforts should be intensified to ameliorate the economic and social impact of poverty on citizens.
