Obasanjo in Dutse, calls for effective utilization of resources

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday urged political leaders to adopt practical measures to accelerate effective utilisation of human and natural resources for sustainable development of the country and the citizenry.

Speaking  at the maiden Jigawa Economic and Investment Summit in Dutse, Jigawa State, organised by the state as part of the activities to mark the 2013 Democracy Day celebration, Obasanjo said that Nigeria was endowed with abundant natural and human resources, which could be transformed to the social and economic benefit of the people.

'Nigeria is a land of opportunities and it is blessed with all it takes to develop. It has been stagnant for so long, it is about time to change these opportunities to actuality.

'There is no reason why we should not do that, we must invest in education to save the larger population of the country or else our population will become a liability,' he said.

The former president said that for Nigeria to attain sustainable development, children must be trained, educated and be skilled in every sector to be self-reliant.

The major highlight of the summit was to encourage investment on agriculture, information and communication technology (ICT), solid minerals and small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).