Honorable Francis Waive, a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South, and Udu Federal
Constituency lamented the economic state of the country recently.
Hon. Waive disclosed that the economy is in ‘coma and needs urgent resuscitation.’
The senator, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC from Delta State, declared this in a statement to his constituents on his position on the Water Resource Bill which he
tagged as a ‘Northern Agenda to Tightened the Noose on the South.’ He also noted that the government should concentrate on salvaging the economy from its comatose state by exploring the solid materials in the country instead of polarising the country with the Water Resources Bill.
The lawmaker said, ‘The bill is of no immediate benefit to the generality of the populace at this point in time, plus we have not developed enough as a country to be able to properly manage all the resources we have to now begin to look at the water. Water is the least of our problems as a country.’
‘The various River Basins which are currently under the control of government have not been properly managed, instead it has been grossly politicized, how then can the government manage and control all the water bodies in the country.’
‘One will be tempted to ask, what is the intention
behind this law? Is it really for the general good of the Nigerian people as it states? How well have the various natural resources been managed for the general good?’
His proposal to the federal government over the water bill, Waive proposed to the Federal Government that ‘We should at this time if we must, begin to look at other solid mineral resources such as gold and the likes that have high economic value and capable of diversifying the Nigerian economy which is currently over-dependent on crude oil.’
‘Our economy is in a coma and needs urgent resuscitation. It is common knowledge that solid mineral resources are not properly regulated as the activities of illegal mining is big business in
some parts of the country.’ he said
Peace Omenka