N-Delta crisis good for Nigeria — Arikawe

By Emeka Mamah

Kaduna — The Coordinator of Vision 20-2020 at the National Planning Commission, Mr. Akin Arikawe, has said the lingering Niger Delta crisis will be a beneficial factor that could propel the country to achieve greater height if the lessons are taken in good faith by Nigerians.

Arikawe said a crisis in the region was a clarion call on the people to develop agriculture among the other sectors of the economy instead of relying solely on oil.

He spoke to newsmen during the North-West zonal workshop on the preparation of states’ stakeholders’ development committees inputs into the Vision 20-2020 documents in Kaduna, yesterday.

However, Governor Mohammed Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State who declared the ceremony open doubted the possibility of the country achieving its Vision 20-2020 objectives on target in view of the current global economic crisis.

Sambo said apart from the economic meltdown, most Nigerians do not understand the concept, design and the implementation challenges of the programme.

The Governor was represented at the occasion by the state Commissioner for Economic Development and Planning, Mr. John Bezart.

Arikawe who retired as permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance stressed that most of the developed countries in the world especially North Korea had no oil reserves, adding that the country’s present seven per cent economic growth could be described as robust.