The Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has emphasised the need for Nigeria to focus on human capital development, saying it lies at the heart of any hopes for peace and security.
Dr Uduaghan on Tuesday told a gathering of UK Parliamentarians and Nigerians in the diaspora at House of Parliament, Westminster London, that Nigeria’s plans to diversify the economy must be intensified with a special focus on entrepreneurship and infrastructure.
At the British-African Diaspora Conference hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Committee on Nigeria, Governor Uduaghan admitted the perennial problems of development deficits in Nigeria but, expressed belief that sustained efforts at implementing a non-oil economic plan was the way to go.
Commenting on the level of unemployment in Nigeria, the governor said that the Nigeria Immigration Service employment exercise that claimed lives in Nigeria was a wake-up call to the endemic challenge of unemployment.
He further stressed the need for the Nigerian government to develop other sectors of the economy with funds generated from crude oil sales.
At the gathering, parliamentarians and Nigerians were keen to hear from top government officials new developments in Africa’s most populous nation beyond the politics and security reports dominating the scene.
The Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Wamako, appealed to Nigerians in the diaspora for support in nation building, assuring them of an enabling environment.
These events create platforms of dialogue between key players in Nigeria and the international community for improved economic relations.