From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
Former Lagos State Governor and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu is said to have donation a Leadership Centre worth N1billion to the Lagos State University (LASU).
This disclosure was made by the Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello at the Convocation Lecture of LASU in Ojo, on Thursday, March 24, 2022.
The Convocation Lecture which was titled “Global Trends: The Rightful Place of Nigeria in the World” was delivered by Bola Tinubu.
Represented by the Deputy Governor of Lagos, Femi Hamzat, Tinubu spoke on what he called Youth Urban Employment as part of reforms that must be taken for N igeria to take its rightful place, he said Government must support strategically important industries that will employ large numbers of young people and unleash the productive capacity and boundless energy within that population, adding that Government backing of manufacturing and industry will open the door wider to youth-owned start-up businesses that will serve to support extant firms and industries. He stated that National industrial and employment policies must jump from the pages of documents and come to real life.
On agriculture he said “We must increase food production while lowering consumer prices. Commodity exchange boards need to be reinstated to assure minimum farm incomes. Reforms are needed to give farmers more access to credit by loosening mortgage requirements and allowing greater leeway to execute forward contracts on what they grow. To combat food spoilage we need to improve the rural road network and fund refrigeration systems for use by farmers and merchant in major local markets in each state.” He disclosed that in the areas affected by extreme weather, water catchment systems and small scale irrigation projects must take hold to mitigate the consequences of droughts and floods while also assuring water for year round agriculture.
Speaking on Real Estate reforms Tinubu added “We can further unlock economic potential in urban areas by making it easier to convey and mortgage real estate to lower the costs and time associated with the acquisition and sale of land, thus better allocating land to the most positive uses. Our mortgage institutions need to be revised and better financed so they can provide affordable residential mortgages to you people just entering the work force.
Tinubu prominently known as Jagaban who has declared interest in the presidency of Nigeria by 2023 spoke more on Education and Economy, saying “We must better link formal education with the skills and expertise our business community seeks in the coming years. We need to bring organized business together with our education sector do they can develop curricula that meet the needs of business while still providing the broad education required to create Civic minded citizens:
On Infrastructure, he said “We need a massive national infrastructure plan. No national economy can grow beyond the capacity or its infrastructure to service that economy.
“Portable water should be readily available in our cities. Electrical power is the fulcrum of our development. We enact the reforms necessary to power businesses and homes at affordable prices. Firms in the sector must work as much for public good as for private gain. Businesses contributing to power generation should receive generous tax treatment and forbearances.
Tinubu said stressed that Time awaits no nation. “History many not repeat itself exactly, but it is a frequent visitor to a certain recurrent theme. Those nation’s that wisely face their challenges shall succeed. Those that ignore obstacles will stumble over what they could have avoided.”
