How Murtala, Obasanjo caused Nigeria’s economic woes - Former minister
- Former minister of petroleum resources, Chief Philip Asiodu, says the military fiat with which the Murtala/ Obasanjo regime abandoned the 1975 development plan stifled the growth of the country
- Asiodu says an economy that is not diversified cannot grow
- The former minister advises the present government to look inward in revamping the economy
Asiodu has said Obasanjo was wrong to have set aside of the Vision 2010 document prepared by the best brains in the country when he assumed power again in 1999.
Former minister of petroleum resources Chief Philip Asiodu has traced the beginning of Nigeria’s economic woes to policies implemented by late head of state, General Murtala Mohammed and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo.
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Speaking at the annual Daily Trust Dailogue, on Thursday, January 19, Chief Asiodu said the military fiat with which the Murtala/ Obasanjo regime abandoned the 1975 Development Plan stifled the growth of the country, The Sun reports.
According to him, the 1975 Development Plan was a product of feasibility studies in all sectors of the economy for the purpose of diversification.
“This was when Nigeria and the Asian Tigers were at par. Today, we know where the Asian Tigers are and where we are,"he said.
Asiodu also described as a monumental tragedy, “the setting aside of the Vision 2010 document prepared by the best brains in the country when Obasanjo assumed power again in 1999.”
The former minister said an economy that is not diversified cannot grow.
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He attributed the dismal performance of the economy on the discontinuity of the development plans which saw the laying of solid development witnessed the first decade of independence.
He advised the present government to “look inward in revamping the economy, particularly in areas where diversification has become inevitable, as proposed in the 1975 document".
“An economy not diversified cannot grow. Government should be commended for looking into areas of diversification to grow the economy,” he added.
Meanwhile, the spiritual director of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, has said the change in Nigeria now under President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was not the change the people bargained for.
The cleric popularly known as Ebube Muonso, on Thursday, January 19, said before Buhari was voted in as president, the Holy Ghost revealed to him that Buhari will win the election, but that his reign would bring doom to Nigerians.
The cleric said the policies of the president have spread poverty across Nigeria, The Sun reports