The former governor of Anambra, Mr Peter Obi, has called on the Federal Government to ensure that fund borrowing were invested in things that would enhance the nation’s development.
Obi made the call on Thursday while speaking with newsmen shortly after a courtesy visit to the governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, at the governor’s office, state secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
He maintained that debt wasn’t bad when it’s rightly applied, when use for investment that would improve the economy but argued that borrowing for consumption is bad.
He asserted that Nigeria’s economy would have been doing better if fund borrowed had been invested, “but the country economy is worse which indicated that money borrowed is not rightly spent”.
Obi urged government to use fund being borrowed for investment in rightful things that would develop the nation.
According to him, what develop a nation is education, health and things that can pull people out of poverty.
He submitted that more people would be thrown into poverty if government failed to invest in things that would improve the nation’s economy.
Speaking on his position about the Petroleum Industry Act, Obi said the act was needed “but government would have considered the five per cent being demanded by the host communities.
“We must learnt to care for those who are generating resources for us, wether is petroleum, VAT or other things.
“We should consider to support communities or areas where we generate the income we are sharing”.
On the forthcoming Anambra Governorship election, the former governor called for the conduct of free, fair and credible election.
He maintained that the votes of the people’s should count and admonished politicians to stop preparing for election as if preparing for war.
Obi who is the Pro Chancellor of Dominican University Ibadan, had led the top management of the institution on a courtesy visit.
According to the Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Prof Anthony Akinwale, the delegation was on the courtesy visit to seek the intervention of the governor on the categorisation of the institution as a business premises by the State Board of Internal Revenue.
Akinwale further sought assistance of the governor for provision of good road access to the proposed new campus of the University at Igbo Owe and the road leading to the Institution’s hospital, situated at Ogungbade community.
He said Dominican University was a non-profit making institution, saying that the school was established for purely humanitarian purposes.
He, therefore, requested waiver/maximum reduction on the tax requested by the state board of internal revenue.
Gov Makinde, in his remarks, pledged to look into the demands requested by the management of the Dominican University, in a way that would favour both parties.
Makinde thanked the Catholic community for being magnanimous to its host community and for contributing positively to the heath and education sectors of the state
