Akpan Umoh, Uyo
Sen. Ita Enang, former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs in his message to Nigerians at the 62nd Independence Anniversary has urged all Nigerians to keep hope alive as the nation will bounce back once again.
Enang said this while speaking with newsmen in Uyo on Saturday. He urged Nigerians to look inward to develop the country, adding that other countries Nigerians rely on also had their problems.
According to him, Nigerians must not to lose hope, noting that the present economic challenges were not peculiar to only Nigeria, stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari has managed the problems confronting the nation well.
“There is hope in the present Government of President Muhammadu Buhari because the challenge we are facing is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, other countries still have the same problem. There is hope because the President has managed the problems confronting us well.
“What is happening to Nigeria is happening to other countries because it is a global economic challenge.
“The President has been able to manage the country to boost domestic consumption and produce what we want, this is a challenge that many Nigerians did not buy in,” Enang said.
Enang, who has been nominated for the award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), whose investiture is scheduled for Oct. 11 said as the country marks its 62nd independence anniversary, Nigeria should look internally to refine petroleum products to catch up on the new technology age of green and solar energy.
The former presidential aide appealed that the country and all citizens should get more serious in agriculture to ensure that we produce food to feed the teeming population and avoid a food crisis.
He opined that the country is likely to face food scarcity due to flooding as part of the arable land has been taken over by flood.
“Nigeria @ 62, my message is simple, that we look inward to develop the country because other countries we relied on to import technology and food are also having their own problems now.
“We look internally to refine our petroleum products to catch up on the new technology age of green energy, and solar energy and develop the potentials within the country.
“After all, the things and materials used in developing the solar panel and all green energy are taken from Nigeria. Taken abroad refined and brought back to Nigeria
“We should now activate our battery industries because it is these battery accessories that are being used to power the solar energy.
“We must also get serious into agriculture and not wait till November/December to come when we are likely to face hunger because there is likely to be a scarcity of food.
“Scarcity of food because the flood has taken over most of the fertile land, where rice and other food should have been cultivated and when the warnings on flood were given, we did not take seriously,” he said.
Enang, felicitated Nigerians and urged the citizens to think of building a new Nigeria, and not relying on old technology and things, advising that a man of 62, should be thinking of handing it over to the next generation.