A renowned political economist, Professor Pat
Utomi, has described the recession presently
facing Nigeria as a golden opportunity and not a
problem, saying it is an opportunity to finally get
the Nigerian economy right.
Utomi who spoke during the ground breaking
ceremony of Integrated Produce City (IPC), a
private initiative championed by him and other
investors at Ugbokun community in Ovia North
East Local Government Area of Edo State,
added that without appearing to scandalise
anybody, he actually prays for oil prices to stay
down for a long time for Nigerians to come to
their senses to know that the country is really
rich.
His words: “Let me shock you by saying that
the recession we face in Nigeria is a golden
opportunity. It is not a problem; it is an
opportunity to finally get the Nigerian economy
right.
“So without appearing to scandalise anybody, I
actually pray for oil prices to stay down and
stay down for a long time. Then, we will come
to our senses and we will know that Nigeria
really is a rich country.
“Right now, we are not behaving as we should
be behaving. Competitively-driven industrial
policy in select value chains will be helpful in
confronting the misery index and bringing hope
to millions.”
He said Integrated Produce is unique first,
because it aims to confront the biggest monster
facing agriculture in Nigeria, which is yield
losses – the poor returns that farmers get, as
middle men scoop everything up, the profits that
slip away in these kinds of disarticulated
markets and the poor infrastructure challenge
that face people in agriculture.
According to him, “With a well organised trading
platform, accessing commodity exchanges,
efficiencies increase at a pace that increases
global competitiveness on the produce in which
our factor endowment are strong.”
On his part, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo
State who performed the ground breaking
ceremony, described the Integrated Produce
City (IPC) as a sheer commitment by the
investors to combat poverty, noting that it is the
first produce city in the heart of Benin kingdom.
“Today we are having the first produce city right
in the heart of Benin Kingdom few minutes’
drive from Benin City. I want to appreciate you,
your wife, your boss because we know that the
neck controls the head.
“This is an event that will kick-start what will
add meaning and value to thousands of people
both within and outside here. What you have
done by this initiative is to demonstrate that
there are Nigerians who have those qualities
that we celebrate elsewhere. All those who
teach can also practicalise what they teach and
practically in the country you are one of those
teachers.
“This gathering couldn’t have been better not
just what we have been telling people in the
past three months that our candidate said he
would create 200,000 jobs many believe that it
is not possible and that brings you to two
divides of Nigerians that we have those who
believe that our future lies in that lazy tradition
of extracting the liquid gold and exporting it with
little or no value to it, bring dollar home, quarrel
over sharing it, do some symbolic public toilets
and buildings, and then privatise the rest and
import more,” he said.
Oshiomhole who thanked all the foreign partners
to IPC for showing confidence that they can
come and invest in the state, also enjoined the
host community to regard the project cited in
their community as their own and defend it as
their own as they stand to benefit more.
In his welcome address, the state Commissioner
for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Joe
Plague, saluted the courage of IPC, saying the
project was timely because it is in line with the
agricultural policy of the state, more so with the
concept of combining farming with industry.
He therefore promised that the state
government would do everything possible to
ensure the purpose of the project is achieved.
Also in his speech, the representative of
Ugbokun community said his people would ever
remain grateful for the project because it is
going to open the forest that has become a
hideout for hoodlums who use it to attack
unsuspecting travellers.
He therefore requested that government should
establish a police station in the community to
help safeguard the investment, while calling on
the management of IPC to take care of the
interest of the host community. Source, this day
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