The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019, Peter Obi, has flayed the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government’s purported overconcentration on fighting corruption, saying it was not a substitute for sound economic policy.
Obi added that building strong institutions would automatically put corruption to the sword.
The former Anambra State Governor made this known Wednesday in Enugu at the 3rd South East Economic Summit themed “South East Nigeria: The Investment Destination.”
Harping on the need to reposition education in the country, Obi said the new world economic order was knowledge-based.
He challenged the South East and entire Nigeria to key into this new economic order by revamping education.
According to him, “We got the talent here; very intellectually endowed and resourceful people of all ages to rise to the occasion. We’re all hoping that things will change and the requisite infrastructure put in place, especially in support of education.”
Obi described as erroneous the belief that economic prosperity of a country or state was tied to its mineral deposits.
He noted that if it were so, Venezuela which has the world’s largest crude oil deposit would not currently be in economic crisis.
The businessman-turned-politician also pointed out that California, without oil, was the richest state in the United States, beating states like Texas that flowed with oil.
He stressed that adequate human resources, not mineral deposits, would ensure the economic development of the South East region and Nigeria.
Read Also: (Full List): Nigerian celebrities that pledged support for Buhari’s re-election