The Federal Government would embark on the rehabilitation of the badly-damaged road networks in the South East, Vice President has said.
He said that the government is interested in ensuring that all inter-state roads in the region of the country are accessible for the ease of commerce and movement of people.
Osinbajo, who spoke during a private visit to Enugu at the weekend, said the government would intervene in addressing this national challenge for traders and commuters in the interest of the nation’s economic development.
On the rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt-Onitsha road, the vice president he had already discussed the issue with the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The governor was with the Vice President during his private visit to the state and also hosted him briefly at the Enugu State Government House on Saturday.
Osinbajo said, “We are certainly interested in ensuring that all of the access roads especially between states where commerce is thriving are in good condition. We are going to have a very good look at it, to see what the financial constraints are.”
“Despite all the constraints, it is important that we rehabilitate the roads, especially between cities where there is a lot of commercial activities,” he said.
The vice president also used the occasion to highlight plan by the Buhari presidency to diversify the economy.
According to him, steadily moving away from the current mono-product economy, would increase the country’s foreign exchange earnings and raise the value of Nigeria’s currency.
This, he said, forms a critical part of the current federal government’s diversification agenda of the economy. For instance the government has already embarked upon a plan for self-sufficiency in rice and wheat production, which, when it succeeds will reduce pressure on foreign exchange.
The vice president said the Buhari administration’s economic policies would produce a stronger Naira by earning more and exporting more.
He said “We are trying to ensure that we are self-sufficient in rice production and wheat production, so that there will be less pressure on the dollar.”
The federal government is currently exploring how to expand and enlarge rice production through an effective partnership with several rice-producing states from the North.
The vice president said,. “One of the major issues is that we have to earn more foreign exchange to raise the value of the Naira. We also have to do more business internally to raise the value of the Naira. So diversifying the economy is an important way to strengthen the value of the Naira”.
“Right now, we are importing a lot of rice and wheat. So if we are self-sufficient in rice and wheat, there will be less pressure on the foreign exchange; and that will improve the value of the Naira.”
